Document Detail


The accuracy of medical history information in referral letters.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20604762     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: Accurate medical history information is essential for good patient care and should be notified in the letter of referral. The aim of this study was to investigate the subjective opinion that the medical information in a large number of referrals is either inaccurate or non-existent.
METHODS: Medical histories from 54 patients with positive medical history findings upon taking the medical history at the initial consultation appointment were compared to the medical information supplied in the referral letter.
RESULTS: Overall, medical information was only 58.8% complete with dental referrals being 55.2% complete and medical referrals 62.4%. The majority of referral letters (70.4%) missed at least one relevant finding and only 29.6% of referrals were 100% complete.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the standard of referral letters needs to be improved as the received referrals were generally incomplete and contained inaccurate information. This highlights the need for each and every practitioner to take their own detailed medical history and not rely on the information supplied in the referral.
Authors:
A F DeAngelis; I G Chambers; G M Hall
Publication Detail:
Type:  Comparative Study; Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Australian dental journal     Volume:  55     ISSN:  1834-7819     ISO Abbreviation:  Aust Dent J     Publication Date:  2010 Jun 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-07-07     Completed Date:  2010-10-29     Revised Date:  2011-03-24    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0370612     Medline TA:  Aust Dent J     Country:  Australia    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  188-92     Citation Subset:  D; IM    
Affiliation:
Oral and Maxillofacial Unit, Royal Hobart Hospital, Tasmania, Australia. ADeAngelis1@gmail.com
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Cardiovascular Diseases / classification
Correspondence as Topic*
Dentists
Diphosphonates / therapeutic use
Drug Hypersensitivity / classification
Drug Toxicity
Family Practice
General Practice, Dental
Hemorrhagic Disorders / classification
Humans
Medical History Taking / standards*
Medicine
Physicians
Private Practice
Public Sector
Questionnaires
Referral and Consultation / standards*
Respiratory Tract Diseases / classification
Tooth Extraction
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Diphosphonates
Comments/Corrections
Comment In:
Aust Dent J. 2011 Mar;56(1):107; author reply 107-8   [PMID:  21332751 ]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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