ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To identify the most important referring parties in the Finnish health care system. DESIGN: A record linkage study based on nationwide administrative registers. SETTING: The hospital discharge register during 1996 to 2000. SUBJECTS: The total Finnish population and the population of four hospital districts. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Discharges of individuals by the most important referring parties. RESULTS: The five most important referring parties in order of magnitude are as follows: health centre, no referral, clinic/unit of the same hospital, hospital other than a health centre, and private health care. The five most important referring parties for those aged over 75 are the same mentioned above. There were regional differences in referral practices. CONCLUSIONS: Differences or changes in referral profiles as a function of time cannot be taken as a direct measure of the impact of possible interventions or as an indication of an actual difference between the areas compared. One should also always be aware about any related meta-knowledge.
