COOPERATION BETWEEN DOCTORS – TERTIARY LEVEL OF CARE

Background. The paper deals with the tertiary level of care provided to patients at the Departments of Cardiology, Haematology, Nephrology, Gastroenterology and Abdominal Surgery of the University Medical Centre Ljubljana. The scope of these activities are described and the main problems outlined. Problems noted were mainly those connected with long waiting periods and appropriateness of referral for diagnostic evaluation and treatment. Indications for transplantation of solid organs and haematopoietic stam ceels were presented. In addition, discrepancy between the number of patients waiting for a transplant procedure and the number of organ donors was discussed. Data on patients that we wish to obtain from primary and secondary care physicians is listed including information that must be provided to the referring doctor.