Primary care and specialist physicians often do not get referral information from each other, but there are ways to improve communications, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Perceptions on whether the information was transmitted differ between those who sent it and those who received it, according to the study, by researchers at the Center for Studying Health System Change.
While more than 69 percent of primary care physicians said they always or mostly sent the patient's history to the specialist, fewer than 35 percent of specialists reported they always or mostly received the information. And while 80 percent of specialists said they always or mostly sent consultation results to the referring PCP, but only 62 percent of PCPs said they received the information.
"There’s a real communication disconnect between primary care and specialist physicians about patient referrals and consultations," said Ann S. O'Malley, MD, a coauthor of the study, which covered 4,720 physicians.
However, the physicians were more likely to report sending or receiving the information when they had adequate time to spend with patients, had practice supports for care management, received feedback on the quality of care for patients and had nurse support for monitoring patients with chronic conditions. In addition, use of health information technology was associated with greater likelihood of receiving and sending communication by specialists but not by PCPs.
Read the summary in Archives of Internal Medicine on referrals.
Read the release from the Center for Studying Health System Change.
Read more coverage on communications between specialists and primary care physicians:
- 6 Keys to a Successful Physician Relations Program
- System Integration in 2011: Q&A With Gary Campbell, President and CEO of Centura Health
- Helping Providers Get Ready for ACOs, Medical Homes: Q&A with Tim O'Rourke of Humana
Perceptions on whether the information was transmitted differ between those who sent it and those who received it, according to the study, by researchers at the Center for Studying Health System Change.
While more than 69 percent of primary care physicians said they always or mostly sent the patient's history to the specialist, fewer than 35 percent of specialists reported they always or mostly received the information. And while 80 percent of specialists said they always or mostly sent consultation results to the referring PCP, but only 62 percent of PCPs said they received the information.
"There’s a real communication disconnect between primary care and specialist physicians about patient referrals and consultations," said Ann S. O'Malley, MD, a coauthor of the study, which covered 4,720 physicians.
However, the physicians were more likely to report sending or receiving the information when they had adequate time to spend with patients, had practice supports for care management, received feedback on the quality of care for patients and had nurse support for monitoring patients with chronic conditions. In addition, use of health information technology was associated with greater likelihood of receiving and sending communication by specialists but not by PCPs.
Read the summary in Archives of Internal Medicine on referrals.
Read the release from the Center for Studying Health System Change.
Read more coverage on communications between specialists and primary care physicians:
- 6 Keys to a Successful Physician Relations Program
- System Integration in 2011: Q&A With Gary Campbell, President and CEO of Centura Health
- Helping Providers Get Ready for ACOs, Medical Homes: Q&A with Tim O'Rourke of Humana