title: Factors influencing general practitioners' referral decisions.
abstract: This paper presents some findings from a small scale qualitative study of referral decision making conducted in south-east Northumberland in 1988-89. The study was prompted by an interest in variability in referral rates and the view that existing studies had not attempted to understand referral from the perspective of those involved in making the decisions. Our findings suggest that such understandings are crucial in the analysis of referral decisions and in any policy making initiatives designed to influence the pattern of referring.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Services Research, School of Health Care Sciences, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hutchinson
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003657:Decision Making; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010821:Physicians, Family; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data