• V Rubio Arribas, M L Rodríguez Ibáñez, E Sampedro Martínez, C Victores Benavente, A Alechiguerra García, and J L Barrio Gamarra.
• Centro de Salud Irún Centro. Avda. Gipuzkoa, 15. 20302 Irún.
• Aten Primaria. 2000 Dec 1; 26 (10): 681684681-4.

ObjectivesTo evaluate the quality and improvement of compliance in the inter-consultation documents of the primary care team (PCT).DesignEntire care cycle.SettingPrimary care (PC).MeasurementsDimension studied: scientific-technical quality.Subjectsall the inter-consultation documents (ID-1) sent by PC doctors from Irun Health Centre to specialist clinics over a 15-day period. 223 ID-1 for evaluation in April 1998, and 287 for re-evaluation in October 1998. Type of evaluation: retrospective.Source Of Datainter-consultation documents and clinical records.Criteriaexplicit and standard. Corrective measures: educational (discussion of results in meeting of the PCT).ResultsA statistically significant improvement was found at the re-evaluation: basic personal details (91.5%-96.8%), legibility (86%-92.7%), medical history and/or customary medication (35.9%-50%) and symptoms (77.8%-87.2%). Good quality levels rose from 20.6% to 42.5%; and bad quality levels fell from 40.8% to 33.4%. 22.2% of our referrals received a reply. 34% of the lack of replies was because of no report from the specialist, 47.8% were attributed to the patient or circuit, and 18% of the patients were awaiting test results.ConclusionsThe information supplied in the ID-1 improved significantly after the quality cycle. Knowing our habitual working practice can serve to stimulate improvement. The criteria we complied with least were: reference to personal antecedents and/or habitual medication, physical examination, and therapeutic measures employed. There was a huge loss of information in the replies to our referrals.

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