Baseline Survey on Referrals and Healthcare Provider Needs in View for an Electronic Referral System.

The study aimed to evaluate the formats and completeness of the current paper-based referral system and assess user needs for designing an electronic referral system. Conducted in eight public health facilities in Kigali city, the mixed methods approach identified seven different referral letter formats, with the external transfer form averaging 58.8% completeness.

Assessment of formats and completeness of paper-based referral letters among urban hospitals in Rwanda: a retrospective baseline study.

Background: Patient referral is a process in which a healthcare provider decides to seek assistance due to the limitations of available skills, resources and services offered locally. Paper-based referrals predominantly used in low-income countries hardly follow any procedure. This causes a major gap in communication, coordination, and continuity of care between primary and specialized levels, leading to poor access, delay, duplication and unnecessary costs.