An analysis of psychiatric referrals, Saudi Arabia

Abstract EN

Objective: The implementation of referral system in Saudi Arabia has resulted both in streamlining of and substantial improvement in the delivery of health services at all levels.

This research seeks to study the adequacy of information in the psychiatric referral letters that were originated from primary health care centers [PHCCs] and general hospitals [GHs] to a regional mental health hospital facility.

Settings: Buraidah Mental Health Hospital, Al-Qassim health province.

Method: The sample is comprised of randomly selected 540 photocopied psychiatric referrals [PHCCs=402, GHs=138] of patients who were referred for psychiatric consultation.

Results: The analysis of data showed that the noted age and gender of referred patients were not significantly associated with two main sources of referral.

Although PHCCs letters were quantitatively deficient in clinical information, the completeness of letters between the two referral sources did not differ significantly.

GH referrals as compared to primary care referrals revealed statistically significant clinical findings and physical comorbid conditions.

A proportion of diagnoses noted in overall GH referrals as compared to PHCC referrals was significantly matching with final diagnoses made by referred psychiatrists.

Conclusion: Overall, psychiatric referrals both from PHCCs and GHs need further improvements in quantity and quality of data notation in referral letters.

Moreover, general practitioners [GPs] including GH physicians need a condensed course on clinical psychiatry in general but psychiatric referral system in particular.