Australian general medical practitioner referral pathways for people with different ocular conditions.
BACKGROUND
The aim was to obtain an overview of general medical practitioner (GP) referral pathways to ocular health care and allied services for people identified with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR) or glaucoma (GL).


METHODS
A questionnaire was developed to survey GPs in Australia. Questions included demographic information and referral patterns to ocular and health service providers. The survey was posted to 1,050 randomly selected GPs across Australia.


RESULTS
Fifty-eight GPs participated in this study amounting to a 6.5 per cent response rate. Nearly all GPs referred patients to ophthalmologists (AMD: 98 per cent; DR: 98 per cent; GL: 95 per cent). A smaller proportion of GPs also referred to low vision rehabilitation (LVR) services (AMD: 34 per cent; DR: 33 per cent; GL: 22 per cent), optometrists (AMD: 26 per cent; DR: 34 per cent; GL: 31 per cent), or support services (AMD: 17 per cent; DR: 40 per cent; GL: 19 per cent). For the three tested conditions, there were no statistically significant differences in the proportions of GPs, who referred to ophthalmologists (p = 0.43), optometrists (p = 0.48) or to low vision rehabilitation services (p = 0.31). The proportion of GPs who referred to support services was significantly higher for patients diagnosed with DR than AMD or GL (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of GPs referred patients with AMD, DR or GL to ophthalmologists. Fewer GPs considered referrals to optometrists, low vision rehabilitation or support services. General practitioners may need to be more aware about the central role of optometrists in the delivery of primary eye health care. In the interest of optimising eye care, closer working relationships between GPs and optometrists should be fostered.
School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia; Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Khalid F
KF
Jamous
Isabelle
I
Jalbert
Michael
M
Kalloniatis
Mei Ying
MY
Boon
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009907:Optometry; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
GP referral pathways; age-related maculopathy; diabetic retinopathy; glaucoma; low vision rehabilitation