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To Whom Do GPs Refer A Study of the Development and Change of Referral Networks of General Practitioners in The Netherlands

To Whom Do GPs Refer A Study of the Development and Change of Referral Networks of General... One of the major goals of the recent NHS reforms has been to makethe NHS more responsive to the needs of patients by offering morechoice. DHAs and budgetholding GP practices have been given anincentive to obtain better value for money in purchasing health careservices. In doing so they will have to take account of the existing GPreferral patterns for as key advisers GPs can have majorinfluence on patients choice of hospitals and consultants. Until nownot much has been known about the structure, development and change ofreferral patterns and the factors responsible for changes. A studyconcerning these issues, conducted in The Netherlands, provides relevantinformation for the British situation. The results nonspecificity ofreferrals, the role of tradition and distance in building up referredrelationships and patients influence on breaking up relationshipssuggest that GPs decisions in building up and changing referralnetworks take place implicitly. Concludes that GPs need more informationin order to choose the best option. Information exchange within GPpractices or localregional GP groups is a means of improving the basisfor decision making. At the same time there is a growing need forresearch into costquality ratios of care offered by health careproviders. In Britain, DHAs could play an important role in initiatingand intensifying this research. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Management in Medicine Emerald Publishing

To Whom Do GPs Refer A Study of the Development and Change of Referral Networks of General Practitioners in The Netherlands

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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ISSN
0268-9235
DOI
10.1108/02689239210017992
Publisher site
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Abstract

One of the major goals of the recent NHS reforms has been to makethe NHS more responsive to the needs of patients by offering morechoice. DHAs and budgetholding GP practices have been given anincentive to obtain better value for money in purchasing health careservices. In doing so they will have to take account of the existing GPreferral patterns for as key advisers GPs can have majorinfluence on patients choice of hospitals and consultants. Until nownot much has been known about the structure, development and change ofreferral patterns and the factors responsible for changes. A studyconcerning these issues, conducted in The Netherlands, provides relevantinformation for the British situation. The results nonspecificity ofreferrals, the role of tradition and distance in building up referredrelationships and patients influence on breaking up relationshipssuggest that GPs decisions in building up and changing referralnetworks take place implicitly. Concludes that GPs need more informationin order to choose the best option. Information exchange within GPpractices or localregional GP groups is a means of improving the basisfor decision making. At the same time there is a growing need forresearch into costquality ratios of care offered by health careproviders. In Britain, DHAs could play an important role in initiatingand intensifying this research.

Journal

Journal of Management in Medicine – Emerald Publishing

Published: Mar 1, 1992

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