Abstract
Introduction: Integrated care is becoming very crucial in healthcare management due to the increase of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD) globally. Therefore, this paper aimed to review and examine how applicable and transferable quality referral factors were to the Saudi health system.
Methods: Two searches were completed to (1) identify quality referral factors and (2) to identify the Saudi literature relevant to the referral system. This paper employed a knowledge-to-action framework, and assessed quality factors of referrals for their applicability and transferability in the Saudi context using Wang's literature-based method.
Results: The quality referral factors introduced were safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, patient centred, structured referral letter, dissemination of referral guidelines, central computerised system, and inclusion criteria. These factors could be applicable and transferrable to the Saudi setting with a consideration of 13 factors. The 13 factors include organizational structure, social acceptability/norms, availability of resources and skills, magnitude of health issues, and characteristics of the target population.
Conclusion: Although deficits are present in the current Saudi referral system, the applicability and transferability of the quality referral factors are attainable in Saudi Arabia. From an international perspective, this review shows 10 quality factors that are significant in the process of referral system for chronic NCD.