[Referrals from general practitioners to rheumatologists].
BACKGROUND
The study is an analysis of referrals of new patients from general practitioners to an outpatient clinic of rheumatology.


METHODS
All referrals from general practitioners during a 12 months period were evaluated.


RESULTS
The annual incidence of referrals of new patients was 423 per 100,000. The main cause of referral was diagnosis, and more than half of the diagnoses suggested were changed at the visit. Few of the referred patients had severe disease.


CONCLUSIONS
The selection of patients for specialist consultation in rheumatology should be changed in favour of patients with severe disease at the expense of those with long-standing non-debiliating disorders.
Revmatologisk avdeling Regionsykehuset i Tromsø.
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Gran
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Nordvåg
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001168:Arthritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy
D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen