title: What does information about referrals reveal about the service network?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the most important referring parties in the Finnish health care system.
  
  
  METHODS
  A record linkage study based on nationwide administrative registers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The hospital discharge register during 1996 to 2000.
  
  
  METHODS
  The total Finnish population and the population of four hospital districts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Discharges of individuals by the most important referring parties.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The five most important referring parties in order of magnitude are as follows: health centre, no referral, clinic/unit of the same hospital, hospital other than a health centre, and private health care. The five most important referring parties for those aged over 75 are the same mentioned above. There were regional differences in referral practices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences or changes in referral profiles as a function of time cannot be taken as a direct measure of the impact of possible interventions or as an indication of an actual difference between the areas compared. One should also always be aware about any related meta-knowledge.
authors.affiliation: National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES), Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nylander
authors.forename: Tarja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suominen
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rintanen
authors.forename: Mikko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nenonen
authors.forename: Simo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pelanteri
mesh_terms: D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration*