Smoothing the passage of patients from primary care to specialist respiratory opinion

This research aimed to assess whether information in general practitioner (GP) referral letters provides a basis for selection of diagnostic tests in patients. We undertook a prospective study within a respiratory outpatients department to compare the diagnostic tests planned at three stages of the referral/specialist consultation process: i) using the GP referral letter alone; ii) using the referral letter and patient history; iii) using the referral letter, patient history, and clinical examination.