الملخص الإنجليزي
Objectives: There is substantial increase in referrals for investigations at Sultan Qaboos
University Hospital (SQUH). Evaluating the quality of hospital referral notes (RNs)
is necessary from diagnostic, patient, and economic perspectives. RNs for pulmonary
function tests (PFTs) can be considered as representative of the array of tests performed
at SQUH. Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated the quality of RNs based on
'completeness' for all consecutive patients referred for PFTs at SQUH over six months.
Evaluation included documentation of demographic features, RNs date, priority for
investigation, referral reason, pulmonary and relevant medical and smoking history for
spirometry RNs, and addition of hemoglobin level for full lung functions (Full-LuFs)
tests. The proportion of complete RNs was determined and analyzed separately to
study association of spirometry and full-LuFs tests with source and reasons for referral.
Results: Only 644 of 683 RNs were available for analysis. Smoking history was stated
in only 3.3% of all RNs; hence, it was excluded from the analysis. RNs were complete
only in 12.4% of cases for spirometry and 14.4% for full-LuFs tests. RNs for patients
who primarily had pulmonary disease were proportionately incomplete than those for
patients with other reasons (p < 0.050). There was no significant association between
incompleteness of RNs and referral hospital (SQUH vs. non-SQUH) and SQUH
inpatient or outpatient status implying that the overall proportion of completeness of
RNs from all concerned referral locations was similar and low in both types of RNs.
Conclusions: There is a need to improve the quality of RNs at SQUH. Referring doctors
must be made aware of the importance of completeness of RNs to improve test reporting,
patient management and satisfaction, and reduce financial burden on hospital exchequer
