Working relationship between primary and specialist care in analysing elevated liver values—a survey from the point of view of gastroenterologists

Abstract

SummaryElevated liver values are often an incidental finding in outpatient care. A solid working relationship between general practitioners and specialists plays as much of a role in effective diagnostics as do selection and examination of liver values and context as indicators for referral towards more in-depth diagnosis. This article focuses on the status quo as well as potential hurdles and challenges in the relationship between general practitioners and specialists with regard to analysing elevated liver values of uncertain origin. A total of 529 physicians in gastroenterological practices in the German states of Baden-Württemberg, Hesse and Thuringia were invited to take part in an online survey in 2020, of which 313 responded. This contribution focuses on those parts of the survey covering the relationship between general practitioners and specialists. According to the results, 72% of the surveyed gastroenterologists saw working relationships between general practitioners and specialists as beneficial and effective. Even so, a variety of challenges and difficulties in everyday care dominate. Specialists especially criticised preliminary analyses performed by general practitioners as well as time of referral. Apart from that, a wide majority (85%) saw a major role in a structured diagnostic algorithm towards improving early detection and coordination between primary and specialist care. The survey revealed problems in the relationship between general practitioners and specialists. Together with targeted training and further training programmes for general practitioners, a validated diagnostic algorithm for classifying and analysing elevated liver values may be a valuable tool for general practitioners to perform diagnostics and improve the structure within which they work with specialists.