‘Thresholds will cut unnecessary surgical referrals’

Hospital referral thresholds for a range of common hand and back procedures will cut the number of people referred unnecessarily for surgical treatment, the State’s health watchdog has said.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) said the successful implementation of the thresholds depended on timely access to primary care services for effective alternative treatments, such as physiotherapy.

The thresholds are to help ensure a more efficient use of available resources and speedier access for those in greatest need of treatment, while also reducing regional variation in clinical practice and access to procedures.