Factors Affecting the Outcome of Psychiatric Interagency Referral

Only 42 percent of patients referred to various community resources by a metropolitan evaluation unit completed the referral. Data about the patients, referring professionals, referral technique, and receiving agency were correlated with the rate of completed referrals. The most significant success factor was the interest and involvement of the referring professional; surprisingly, patient characteristics and distance of patient residence from the community resource did not have a significant effect.