Reducing Health System Burden through an Electronic Patient Referral System to Home Care Centers

Abstract

The increasing elderly population and the prevalence of chronic diseases in the country emphasize the necessity of home care more than ever before. However, the lack of a systematic process for referring patients requiring home care after hospital discharge remains a significant challenge, as traditional referral methods based on telephone calls or written introductions have failed to address the issue. In this regard, this policy brief was developed based on a study aimed at designing and implementing an electronic patient referral system to home care centers at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. The results of implementing this system showed that the electronic referral process led to a reduction in referral time, increased transparency in patient admission, improved coordination between hospitals and nursing counseling centers, the creation of a comprehensive database of patients in need, and the possibility of monitoring the performance of service-providing centers. Based on this experience and the perspectives of participating faculty members, three policy options were defined and analyzed: "implementation and expansion of the electronic referral system across universities," "continuation of the status quo," and "designing a dedicated national-level system ". An analysis of the benefits, drawbacks, implementation barriers, and requirements of each option indicates that, given the existence of a successful and operational model, lower costs compared to designing a national system, and the capability for faster deployment, expanding the existing system to other medical universities is recommended as the priority option. This action can be instrumental in enhancing the quality of post-discharge care, optimally utilizing the capacity of community health nurses, and developing information technology-based health services. By drafting national guidelines for the implementation of a similar system, the opportunity to utilize this technology across the country can be realized. © 2026, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.