%0 Journal Article
%T Orthodontic referral management systems: Do they make a difference?
%A Henna Toor
%A Jayne E Harrison
%A Orla Carty
%A Timothy A Morris
%J Journal of Orthodontics
%@ 1465-3133
%D 2019
%R 10.1177/1465312518824099
%X To assess the performance of the referral management system (RMS) compared to a previous paper-based referral system and to determine whether referrals reflected the patients¡¯ malocclusion and met current guidelines. Three-cycle audit. Orthodontic Department, Liverpool University Dental Hospital, UK. Consecutive new orthodontic patient referrals. Data were collected prospectively from orthodontic referral letters and new patient clinic proformas (2016¨C2017). Cycle 1 assessed the original paper-based referral form, Cycle 2 assessed the first RMS online form and Cycle 3 assessed a modified RMS form. Cycles 1, 2 and 3 audited 83, 84 and 81 referrals, respectively. Agreement between the reason for referral and the new patient clinic findings was moderate for Cycles 1 and 3 (Kappa = 0.47 and 0.60, respectively) and fair for Cycle 2 (Kappa = 0.40). In Cycles 1, 2 and 3, the proportion of new patients appropriate for hospital orthodontic care reduced from 52% to 51% and 40%, respectively. None of the three cycles reached the 90% target for compliance with current referral guidelines. Cycle 3¡¯s RMS form gave a truer reflection of the patients¡¯ malocclusion but reduced the proportion of appropriate referrals. Further audit is required in this area to investigate the cost-effectiveness and clinical benefits of the RMS
%K orthodontics
%K orthodontic referrals
%K dental referrals
%K referral management system (RMS)
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1465312518824099