Table 1

Intra-professional Relationships of Chiropractors

Question
Response
N (%)

Have you recommended patient try seeing other DC for complains?
Yes
385 (93.4)

No
27 (6.6)
Do you recommend patients contact doctor on own or initiate formal referral yourself?
Patient contact doctor
134 (36.9)

Doctor initiates referral
229 (63.1)
Have you referred a patient to other DC for evaluation or treatment
Yes
305 (73.7)

No
109 (26.3)
How often referral includes sending case report?
Always
116 (41.9)

Usually
74 (26.7)

Sometimes
64 (23.1)

Never
23 (8.3)
How often referral includes sending X-Rays or X-Ray report?
Always
130 (47.1)

Usually
87 (31.5)

Sometimes
43 (15.6)

Never
16 (5.8)
How often referral includes sending clinical records other than X-Rays?
Always
100 (37.9)

Usually
71 (26.9)

Sometimes
73 (27.6)

Never
20 (7.6)
How often referral includes sending reason for referrals?
Always
224 (84.8)

Usually
27 (10.2)

Sometimes
10 (3.8)

Never
3 (1.1)
Have you accepted referral from other doctors?
Yes
320 (76.4)

No
99 (23.6)
How often do you send clinical information to referring doctor as follow-up to referral?¥
Always
81 (25.9)

Usually
91 (29.1)

Sometimes
109 (34.8)

Never
31 (9.9)
Have you refused referral from a doctor?
Yes
34 (8.2)

No
381 (91.8)
Has other DC obtained clinical information or advice via curbside consultation
Yes
356 (84.6)

No
65 (15.4)
Have you obtained clinical information or advice from another DC via curbside consultation?
Yes
342 (82.8)

No
71 (17.2)

¶ – Questions are applicable for respondents who had referred a patient to another DC for evaluation or treatment.

¥ – Question is applicable for respondents who accepted a formal referral from a DC

Smith et al. Chiropractic & Osteopathy 2006 14:12   doi:10.1186/1746-1340-14-12