ArticleHealthcare (Basel, Switzerland)2024
The Role of Homogeneous Waiting Group Criteria in Patient Referrals: Views of General Practitioners and Specialists in South Tyrol, Italy.
Article in Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Supporting Primary Care Communication on Vaccination in Multilingual and Culturally Diverse Settings: Lessons from South Tyrol, Italy.Epidemiologia (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Preserving Continuity and Trust in Primary Care: Strategies for Implementing Team-Based Models in South Tyrol, Italy.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Examining South Tyrol's Experience: Digital Health Adoption and Workforce Issues in Implementing Italy's Primary Care Reform Under Ministerial Decree No. 77/2022.Epidemiologia (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
Homogeneous waiting group (HWG) criteria are central to the patient referral process, guiding primary care physicians and hospitalists in directing patient care to specialists. This cross-sectional observational study, conducted in South Tyrol, Italy, in 2023, aimed to assess the implementation and impact of HWG criteria on healthcare from the perspective of general practitioners and hospital physicians. A questionnaire was developed to gain knowledge about referral practices as perceived by general practitioners and specialists. The survey included 313 participants (82 general practitioners and 231 hospital physicians) and was designed to capture a range of factors influencing the application of HWG criteria, including communication and collaboration practices. The results showed moderate levels of familiarity with HWG criteria and opinions about the need for criteria refinement among hospitalists, indicating that further education and refinement of these criteria are warranted. Both general practitioners and hospital physicians expressed dissatisfaction with the current specialist referral system, highlighting the significant gaps in effective communication and collaboration. The survey also demonstrated the influence of patient demands and waiting times on referral practices, and the need for streamlined and accessible specialist care. This study highlights the need for improvement and adaptation of HWG criteria to better meet the needs of healthcare providers and patients in South Tyrol. By addressing the identified gaps in communication, collaboration, and education related to the HWG system, the efficiency, effectiveness, and patient-centeredness of the referral process can be improved, ultimately leading to better health outcomes.
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