Completeness of referral letters from primary to secondary health care centres in Bahrain

ABSTRACT

A cross sectional study was undertaken in order to examine the completeness of the content of the referral forms from primary health care centers [PHC] to accident and emergency department [AED] at salmaniya medical center [SMC] in Bahrain. Four hundred and thirty one patients who were referred from PHC to AED during the period 15th - 30th may 1992 were included in the study. The majorityof referral forms were found deficient in both basic patient's identification data; sex of the patients was not mentioned in 19% of the forms, the age was not mentioned in 22% of the forms, the name of the referring health center was not mentioned in 6% of the forms and the name of the referring physicians were not recorded in 12% of the forms. Only two referral forms [0.06%] could be considered as totally completed. It is imperative to explore ways to improve the current content of the referral forms from primary to secondary health care centers in Bahrain