BMJ : British medical journal
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To study delays between sending referral letters and the outpatient appointment and to assess the content of referral and reply letters, their educational value, and the extent to which questions asked are answered by reply letters. ⋯ The potential for useful communication in the referral letter and in the reply from orthopaedic surgeons is being missed at a number of levels. The content is often poor, the level of mutual education is low, and the use of the referral letter to determine urgency is deficient. Most questions asked by general practitioners are not answered.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Terminal cancer care and patients' preference for place of death: a prospective study.
To assess the preference of terminally ill patients with cancer for their place of final care. ⋯ With a limited increase in community care 50% more patients with cancer could be supported to die at home, as they and their carers would prefer.