RESUMO
The development and implementation of quality referral systems reflects sound national health planning. This review appraised the data on referral systems, in particular psychiatric referrals, with special reference to Saudi Arabia. A computer search was made of relevant literature in the past 2 decades. The rate and process of referring patients through referral letters varies globally across practice settings and is initiated by an array of factors linked with health consumers, health providers and delivery systems. Referral systems, including consultation-liaison services, are an essential component of any health care organization for offering a complete range of good quality, specialized health services.
Assuntos
Serviços de Saúde Mental/organização & administração , Seleção de Pacientes , Atenção Primária à Saúde/organização & administração , Psiquiatria/organização & administração , Encaminhamento e Consulta/organização & administração , Comorbidade , Continuidade da Assistência ao Paciente/organização & administração , Necessidades e Demandas de Serviços de Saúde , Pesquisa sobre Serviços de Saúde , Humanos , Guias de Prática Clínica como Assunto , Padrões de Prática Médica/organização & administração , Qualidade da Assistência à Saúde/organização & administração , Arábia SauditaRESUMO
The development and implementation of quality referral systems reflects sound national health planning. This review appraised the data on referral systems, in particular psychiatric referrals, with special reference to Saudi Arabia. A computer search was made of relevant literature in the past 2 decades. The rate and process of referring patients through referral letters varies globally across practice settings and is initiated by an array of factors linked with health consumers, health providers and delivery systems. Referral systems, including consultation-liaison services, are an essential component of any health care organization for offering a complete range of good quality, specialized health services
Assuntos
Consultoria Ética , Transtornos Mentais , Psiquiatria , Indicadores de Qualidade em Assistência à Saúde , Atenção Primária à Saúde , Encaminhamento e ConsultaRESUMO
Psychiatric and physical morbidities among patients referred from primary health care [PHC] centres and general hospitals [GH] in Al-Qassim region were compared. Thus, 540 psychiatric referrals [GH = 138; PHC = 402] were selected randomly. Fifteen GH patients but no PHC patients were referred for admission. Psychiatrists made more diagnoses of dementia, affective and anxiety disorders, mixed anxiety-depression and somatoform disorders than clinicians and general practitioners [GPs]. Clinicians made significantly more diagnoses of acute psychoses and somatoform disorders than GPs. Physical morbidity was noted in 38.4% and 17.2% of GH and PHC referrals respectively
