Kakamega County Health Services Referral Policy 2019-2030

Abstract

A referral is the process where a healthcare worker at one level of care seeks the assistance in the form of medical products, equipment, and expertise from a different level of care. These types of assistance can be sought through referral of patients and clients, client specimens, medical products and expertise. Referral systems provide for a close relationship between all levels of care within the health system ensuring that the population receives comprehensive and quality health services closest to their homes. This ensures that patients and clients utilize services available at different levels of care appropriately hence optimizing on costs. Patients and clients can therefore access and utilize primary health services at primary health facilities and access timely specialist services where needed. Globally, most countries have organized their health services to be provided in primary health care units and hospitals, where patients and clients are encouraged to be accessing the health system through primary care provision and be referred to other levels of care where necessary. In Kenya, the primary health services are offered at level 1 (community health units), level II (dispensaries) and level III (health centres). Such services are promotive and preventive health services including advocacy for uptake of health services, immunization services, reproductive health services, basic maternal and neonatal services among others. Level IV, V and VI (hospitals) offer curative and rehabilitative secondary health services which include medical management of different diseases and morbidities.