BMJ : British medical journal
-
Comparative Study
Relation between general practices' outpatient referral rates and rates of elective admission to hospital.
To examine the variation in rates of admission to hospital among general practices, to determine the relation between referral rates and admission rates, and to assess the extent to which variations in outpatient referral rates might account for the different patterns of admission. ⋯ Rates of elective admission to hospital vary systematically among general practices. Variations in outpatient referral rates are an important determinant of variations in admission rates.