Digital GP referrals cut wait for specialist appointment confirmation from nearly a month to an average of 1.81 days

A digital referral system allows local general practitioners (GPs) to refer patients directly to specialists at public hospitals, cutting the average waiting time for appointment confirmation from between several days and a month to 1.81 days.

The digital referral system, called Referral Exchange (RefX), was rolled out nationwide on 20 July this year. A team from Open Government Products (OGP) began developing it in stages with the Ministry of Health and Singapore’s public healthcare clusters in 2014.

According to the latest third-quarter figures published on the OGP website this year, the system has handled more than 13,000 referrals since its launch. The waiting time for patients to receive appointment confirmation has fallen from between several days and a month to an average of 1.81 days.

RefX aims to digitalise all local healthcare referral processes, starting with referrals for government-subsidised specialist services. It connects major healthcare information systems behind the scenes, allowing referral information to flow seamlessly between them.

Previously, GPs referring patients to specialists at public hospitals had to process referrals manually, using paper documents, email and telephone calls.

With RefX, information is transmitted electronically once a GP submits a referral. The system tracks every stage of the referral, keeping clinics and hospitals updated on its progress.

The referral forms also specify the information required by each speciality. Doctors can attach scans and test reports directly, ensuring that all necessary information is provided with the initial submission and reducing referral delays caused by incomplete information.

For some referrals, patients can even select and confirm a specialist appointment before leaving the GP clinic, rather than waiting for a text message notification at home.

Dr Ang Kai Kok, a GP at Zenith Medical Clinic, said in an interview that the clinic previously used paper referral forms. He explained: “Previously we use this paper form and we have no idea when we can get an appointment, so we have to randomly quote a rough duration to patients, like maybe around 2-3 months wait.”

He can now show patients the available appointment slots for each speciality, updated in real time. If the waiting time is too long, he can choose another hospital for the patient.

Dr Ang said the electronic system makes referrals smoother, allowing doctors to copy and paste clinical notes directly rather than write them by hand.

Dr Moses Lai of Mary Medical Clinic & Surgery, a GP clinic in Jurong East, said referrals previously required handwritten forms that had to be scanned and emailed. The new system saves time on administration, particularly easing the workload of administrative staff.

As for areas for improvement, Dr Lai noted that the system does not yet cover all referral services, and GPs still cannot receive feedback from specialists through it.