UNDERSTANDING referral patterns in rheumatic disease management is crucial to improving interdisciplinary care and patient outcomes. A new cross-sectional survey of 149 rheumatologists from the Gulf region sheds light on how referrals are made, which specialties receive the most referrals, and what factors influence satisfaction with the process.
Conducted between November and December 2024, the study found that dermatology (85.5%) and physiotherapy (79.5%) are the most commonly referred specialties, particularly in cases of psoriatic arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. The majority of rheumatologists used electronic health records (84.8%) to manage referrals and reported strong follow-up habits, with 78% often or always checking in on referral outcomes.
Despite this, there are clear gaps in satisfaction. Just 61.5% said that patients’ experiences after referral influenced their satisfaction, while 54.2% noted that the responsiveness of other healthcare professionals affected their perception of referral success. Factors driving referral decisions were multi-faceted and included clinical needs, practice logistics, and diagnostic clarity, but not patient gender preferences.
Interestingly, 37.4% of respondents reported changing their referral approach over time, reflecting evolving clinical practices. Logistic regression analysis revealed that age, employment status, practice setting, and geography all significantly influenced how frequently referrals were made and how satisfied rheumatologists were with outcomes.
To improve the referral process, rheumatologists emphasized the importance of multidisciplinary meetings (78.2%), up-to-date clinical guidelines (76.5%), and continuing education (67.2%). Enhanced EHR systems (64.7%) were also highlighted as a priority.
These findings suggest that strengthening referral systems through better digital infrastructure, multidisciplinary collaboration, and targeted training may improve both provider satisfaction and patient care in rheumatology.
Reference:
Alnaqbi KA et al. Referral patterns, influencing factors, and satisfaction related to referrals of patients with rheumatic diseases to other healthcare professionals: an online survey of rheumatologists. Rheumatol Int. 2025;45(5):134.
