title: Referral guidelines for suspected cancer of the head and neck.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the impact of referral guidelines for head and neck cancer on the economics and effectiveness of the delivery of care.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of the literature was performed to examine the current referral guidelines and referral models that have impacted the delivery of care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Advances in technology and changes in the diagnostic work up of head and neck cancer require that common symptoms and presentations of head and neck cancer are made available to primary care physicians to improve the expeditious referral of head and neck cancer patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physician awareness and symptom guidelines may prove effective in expediting the care of patients with head and neck cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Genden
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rinaldo
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lowry
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Suárez
authors.forename: Ashok R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Shaha
authors.forename: Crispian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scully
authors.forename: Alfio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferlito
mesh_terms: D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000592:standards*; D006113:United Kingdom