[Consultation between family physicians and specialists about the hospital admission of patients].

Consultation between GPs and specialists about patients' in-hospital treatment is to be expected from the claim of Dutch GPs that they are responsible for continuous care for the patients on their lists. Data were gathered in the Dutch National Survey of General Practice: registration concerning all patients hospitalized during a three-month period (n = 7815) by 161 GPs. GPs consult specialists most frequently about the decision to admit patients (15% of all admissions). Consultation during patient's stay in hospital (5%) and about the discharge decision and possible aftercare (4%) is less usual. Consultation results from practical circumstances, such as the GP's initiative in the admission and a contact between patient and GP about the admission. The results leave GPs to answer the question whether the little actual consultation about the patient's stay in hospital, discharge and aftercare accords with their task to provide continuous care.