A blank page: feedback from first referral hospitals to primary health care clinics

South African Family Practice

 
 
Field Value
 
Title A blank page: feedback from first referral hospitals to primary health care clinics
 
Creator Legodi, T. L. Wolvaardt, J. E.
 
Subject Family medicine; primary health care communication; feedback; primary health care; referral
Description Background: Primary care practitioners depend on the feedback from hospitals in order to care for returning patients effectively. Lack of such feedback from the hospitals leads to frustration, poor efficiency and care that it is not cost effective. This study examined the presence and adequacy of written feedback from first referral hospitals to primary health clinics (PHC) in the Metsweding district, Tshwane, South Africa.Methods: A retrospective descriptive stratified cluster study was done by reviewing 863 patient records selected randomly from referred patients between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2011 in 6 of the 11 clinics. The clinics were stratified according to type of setting and 6 clinics sampled proportionately.Results: Of the 858 referrals only 5.4% (n = 46) had feedback letters. Details of the patient were listed in 35 (76.0%) of the feed - back letters. There were no contact details for the referring institution or practitioner in almost half of the feedback letters (41.8%; n = 19). Most did not mention the symptoms (87%; n = 40) or signs (89.2%; n = 41) but the majority (58.6%; n = 27) recorded the condition or diagnosis of the patient. The follow-up instructions were documented in 30 letters (65.2%).Conclusions: The low rate of return feedback letters appears to be a commonplace experience and this study both quantifies the extent of this problem and highlights the weaknesses in the letters themselves. The findings reinforce the experiences of practitioners in PHCs and have practical implications for hospital doctors and district hospital managers who wish to strengthen the health system.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2015-07-01
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — A retrospective descriptive stratified cluster study
Format application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/safp.v57i4.4238
 
Source South African Family Practice; Vol 57, No 4 (2015): July/August; 4 2078-6204 2078-6190
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/4238/7709
 
Coverage Africa; South Africa; Gauteng; Tshwane; Metsweding district January 2010-December 2011 PHC patient files of patients referred to hospital
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