The Article in Brief

Specialty Referral Completion Among Patients: Results from the ASPN Referral Study

Christopher B. Forrest, MD, PhD, and colleagues

Background When primary care doctors refer patients to specialists, they may not be aware of whether the visit takes place. This lack of information could result in patients receiving duplicate medical services or not receiving needed services at all. This study set out to understand more about referrals of patients to specialists from the viewpoints of both patients and doctors.

What This Study Found About 8 in 10 patients visit a specialist within 3 months of being referred by their primary care doctor. The most common reasons for not visiting the specialist are lack of time, a belief that the health problem has resolved, or disagreement with the doctor about the need for a specialist. Patients in Medicaid plans are less likely than others to visit the specialist and more likely to have the referral denied by their health plan. Patients who have a longer relationship with the primary care doctor and those whose appointment is scheduled by the primary care doctor’s office are more likely to visit the specialist.

Implications

• Primary care offices can encourage referred patients to visit specialists by helping to schedule the appointment and promoting an ongoing relationship between the patient and the primary care doctor.