SynthesisBMC health services research2017
Quality indicators for the referral process from primary to specialised mental health care: an explorative study in accordance with the RAND appropriateness method.
Synthesis in BMC health services research, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT01374035 (Interface Between Primary Care and Specialist Mental Health Care - the Referral Letters), which is not on this map. Cited by 23 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Interface Between Primary Care and Specialist Mental Health Care - the Referral Letters
Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Methods used to develop quality of care standards and indicators for mental health across the WHO European region: a rapid systematic review.BMJ open quality · 2025Pooled it
- Key performance indicators of hospital supply chain: a systematic review.BMC health services research · 2024Pooled it
- Interventions to improve obstetric emergency referral decision making, communication and feedback between health facilities in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review.Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH · 2022Pooled it
- Development of a core set of quality indicators for paediatric primary care practices in Europe, COSI-PPC-EU.European journal of pediatrics · 2018Pooled it
- Helping Others Promote Engagement in Gambling Support (HOPE-Gam): a Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial.Journal of gambling studies · 2026Trial
- Codeveloping a Set of Quality of Care Indicators for People Living With Multiple Long-Term Conditions in Primary Care: Protocol for a Modified RAND/UCLA Study.JMIR research protocols · 2026Article
- Evidence-Based Laboratory Medicine for Cardiovascular Disease Management in Mental Healthcare: A Literature Review.Cureus · 2026Review
- Article
- Advancing equity in neurodevelopmental care with the Tracking Cube: protocol for an effectiveness-implementation hybrid (type 1) stepped-wedge cluster randomised controlled trial.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- Evaluating referrals between rural district hospitals and a regional hospital in South Africa.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2025Article
- Conveying the need for mental healthcare - a qualitative study of how patients communicate mental health challenges.BMC health services research · 2025Article
- The mental health care system for children and adolescents in Greece: a review and structure assessment.Frontiers in health services · 2024Review
- The effect of adverse childhood experience training, screening, and response in primary care: a systematic review.EClinicalMedicine · 2023Review
- Referral assessment and patient waiting time decisions in specialized mental healthcare: an exploratory study of early routine collection of PROM (LOVePROM).BMC health services research · 2022Article
- Factors used by general practitioners for referring patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain: a qualitative study.BMC primary care · 2022Article
- Assessing the functionality of an emergency obstetric referral system and continuum of care among public healthcare facilities in a low resource setting: an application of process mapping approach.BMC health services research · 2021Article
- The use of indicators for the management of Mental Health Services.Revista latino-americana de enfermagem · 2021Review
- Protocol for Development of the Indian Autism Screening Questionnaire: The Screening Version of the Indian Scale for Assessment of Autism.Indian journal of psychological medicine · 2020Article
- General practitioners referring patients to specialists in tertiary healthcare: a qualitative study.BMC family practice · 2019Article
- Feasibility testing of the Core set of quality Indicators for Paediatric Primary Care in Europe, COSI-PPC-EU.European journal of pediatrics · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCommunication between involved parties is essential to ensure coordinated and safe health care delivery. However, existing literature reveals that the information relayed in the referral process is seen as insufficient by the receivers. It is unknown how this insufficiency affects the quality of care, and valid performance measures to explore it are lacking. The aim of the present study was to develop quality indicators to detect the impact that the quality of referral letters from primary care to specialised mental health care has on the quality of mental health services.
methodsUsing a modified version of the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method, a systematic literature review and focus group interviews were conducted to define quality indicators for mental health care expected to be affected by the quality of referral information. Focus group participants included psychiatrists, psychologists, general practitioners, patient representatives and managers. The existing evidence and suggested indicators were presented to expert panels, who assessed the indicators by their validity, reliability, sensitivity and feasibility.
resultsSixteen preliminary indicators emerged during the focus group interviews and literature review. The expert panels recommended four of the 16 indicators. The recommended indicators measure a) timely access, b) delay in the process of assessing the referral, c) delay in the onset of care and d) the appropriateness of the referral. Adjustment was necessary for five other indicators, and seven indicators were rejected because of expected confounding factors reducing their validity and sensitivity.
conclusionsThe quality of information relayed in the referral process from primary care to specialised mental health care is expected to affect a wide range of dimensions defining high quality care. The expected importance of the referral process for ensuring 'timely access'-one of the six aims of high-quality health care defined by the Institute of Medicine-is highlighted. Exploring the underlying mechanisms for the potential impact of referral information on patient outcomes is recommended to enhance quality of care.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01374035 (28 April 2011).
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.