Table 2 Comparison of quality of referral letters
Components of referral | Pre intervention phase n (%) | Post intervention phase n (%) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
Documentation of clinical findings and/or working diagnosis | 3 (0.2) | 187 (19.5) | < 0.001 |
Documentation of pre-referral investigations | 3 (0.2) | 184 (19.2) | < 0.001 |
Documentation of pre-referral stabilization / treatment | 52 (3.7) | 228 (23.8) | < 0.001 |
Pre-referral communication with referred facility | 0 | 0 | |
Information on caregiver counselling | 0 | 10 (1) | < 0.001 |
Transport details | 0 | 16 (1.7) | < 0.001 |
Healthcare provider accompanying transport | 7 (0.5) | 8 (0.8) | 0.44 |
Overall referral letter score | |||
Median (IQR) | 3.75 (2.75–4.0) | 4.0 (3.0–4.75) | < 0.001 |
Good (8–10) | 10 (0.7) | 38 (4) | |
Fair (5–7) | 86 (6.1) | 171 (17.8) | < 0.001 |
Poor (0–4) | 1307 (93.2) | 748 (78.2) | |