Factors Contributing Patients' 'Self Requested Referral' in University Hospital Family Medicine Clinic

Choi, Hyun Jung; Kim, Jun Su; Jung, Ji Yeon; Lee, Ka Young; Park, Tae Jin

Abstract

BACKGROUND
After the referral system had been established, a tendency of patients who prefer to consult themselves to a specialist with 'self requested referral' is increasing in university hospital family medicine clinics. This study was conducted to know which factors of patients who for the first time visited university hospital family medicine clinic to require medical request for 'self requested referral' to a specialist influence 'self requested referral' tendency. METHODS: Among 905 patients, 647 agreed to the questionnaire were included in this study. We divided the patients in two, the 'self requested referral' group and the 'general patients' group that does not. Patients completed a four-item, self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: 'Self requested referral' group tended to have no experience in family medicine and tended to be negative about the need for family medicine (P < 0.001) The factors that have effect on 'self requested referral' are age, occupation, education, experience of family medicine, and recognition degree of necessity of family medicine. Patients in 20-39 of age, who were white colored, higher education had higher tendency of 'self requested referral' and patients who had no experience in family medicine and lower degree of recognition about the necessity of family medicine had higher tendency of 'self-referral'. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to find ways to increase satisfaction of patients who have factors that have effect on their 'self requested referral' tendency such as age, occupation, education, experience of family medicine, and degree of recognition about the necessity of family medicine.