Profile and Outcome of Primary Health Workers’ Referrals in a Cosmopolitan State in Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60787/njgp.v15i2.120Keywords:
system, referral, primary health care, EmergencyAbstract
Background: Referral system is any process in which healthcare providers at lower levels of the health system seek the assistance of providers who are better equipped or specially trained to guide them in managing or to take over responsibility for a particular episode of a clinical condition in a patient.
Objective: To evaluate the profile and outcome of referrals from primary healthcare levels.
Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study undertaken with the aid of a structured questionnaire administered to all referred pregnant mothers and parents of children at three General Hospitals and one tertiary hospital.
Results: Nearly all the participants were informed about the reason for their referral. Four‑fifths of the participants were not accompanied by a health worker, whereas 90% were not expected on arrival. About 80% of the participants went to the referred hospital on the same day. The most common mode for transporting referred patients was public bus followed private vehicle.
Conclusion: Although there are good practices with regard to referred patients being informed about the reason for their referral, work is still pending to ensure that the referral systems are effectively functioning in the referring of patients from primary health facilities.
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