ANALYZING GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS REFERRAL DECISIONS .1. DEVELOPING AN ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK

Despite a large volume of research, understanding the influences on ge neral practitioner referral behaviour remains limited. This paper argu es for the value of an approach to this area based on the analysis of individual referral decisions, rather than aggregated referral statist ics. A framework for analysing referral decisions is described, develo ped from a study that collected accounts of 167 referral decisions fro m 28 general practitioners. The framework enables referral decisions t o be examined at three levels of analysis of increasing generality. It also encompasses factors that influence general practitioners against making a referral as well as those that influence them towards referr al, as it was found that both types of influence can be discerned in m ost cases. The types of study in which the framework would be a useful analytical tool are discussed.