RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Effect of information about waiting lists on referral patterns of general practitioners.
JF British Journal of General Practice
JO Br J Gen Pract
FD British Journal of General Practice
SP 186
OP 189
VO 40
IS 334
A1 French, J A
A1 Stevenson, C H
A1 Eglinton, J
A1 Bailey, J E
YR 1990
UL http://bjgp.org/content/40/334/186.abstract
AB In a two year trial general practitioners in the West Midlands were provided with extended waiting time information for hospital consultation and treatment in general surgery. Selected general practitioners were sent monthly bulletins on comparative times to wait for both outpatient appointment and inpatient treatment throughout the region. Their referrals to consultant general surgeons were monitored, alongside those of a matched control group not receiving such information. Differences were found between the two groups which indicate the willingness of general practitioners to change their referral practice when adequate information is available. In addition, patients referred to their local hospital had longer waiting times than patients matched for clinical condition and district of origin who were sent to hospitals where it was indicated that a shorter wait might be expected.