[An evaluation of the quality of the medical information passing between primary care and specialist levels].
OBJECTIVE
To study the quality of the information exchanged in internal notes between Primary Care and specialist doctors and to determine which features of both the professionals and the system of organisation are common to both.


METHODS
Observational study of a crossover type in which the units under analysis were the inter-clinic notes exchanged.


METHODS
Information gathering was carried out by means of personal attendance at specialist out-patient clinics in Area V, Madrid.


METHODS
A sampling of 1,920 inter-clinic notes accompanying patients referred by 45 general physicians to 13 Specialist Care clinics, including both ordinary clinics and senior specialists.


RESULTS
Criteria concerning the quality of documentation exchanged were defined both according to the clinical information contained and the legibility of the inter-clinic notes. The quality of information sent by the general physician was good in 45% of cases. The highest quality of information in the inter-clinic notes sent by the general physicians was linked to Primary Care team-work, MIR training and women doctors.


CONCLUSIONS
The information accompanying patients referred from Primary Care to specialists is low-quality. Doctors working in Primary Care Teams produce higher quality inter-clinical notes.
Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
V
V
Velasco Sánchez
A
A
Otero Puyme
D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011786:Quality Control; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013030:Spain; D013038:Specialization
Evaluación de la calidad de la información médica entre los niveles de atención primaria y especializada.