Barriers to Referral Delays in Rural Surgical Care: A Quality Improvement Approach
- McDougal M. [2] ,
- Shehata S. [2] ,
- Li J. [2] ,
- Weier B. [2] ,
- Kelly E. [2] ,
- Moganti T. [2] ,
- Yamada Z. [2] ,
- Zabiba F. [2] ,
- Entabi F. [1] and
- Yee R. [2]
Repository
Description
Background
Timely surgical care is vital for patient outcomes, especially in rural areas where systemic barriers
often cause delays. Key obstacles include:
This study aims to identify referral barriers at Dr. Fateh Entabi’s clinic in the Central Valley, where
he reports delays in care due to the referral process. Our SMART goal is to reduce referral
completion time by 20% within one year through targeted QI strategies.
TRANSPORTATION ISSUES
● Reliable transportation in rural areas are often limited and unreliable.
● Unreliable transportation was found to be a major barrier to timely care in rural clinics in
Arkansas.
INEFFICIENT COMMUNICATION
● Poor communication between referring providers and specialists leads to mismanaged care plans
● Fragmented EMR systems and poor coordination between facilities were observed to lead to
mismanaged care plans and referrals.
LACK OF PATIENT EDUCATION
● Educating patients about their illness and the healthcare system is beneficial for ensuring they
follow through with care plans.
● Inadequate education in low socioeconomic groups has been found to lead to refusal of treatment.
Subjects
Affiliations
- Adventist Health, Tulare
- California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine