9.2  The referral link: a two-way street

The referral link between a higher-level health facility and you, the Health Extension Practitioner (HEP) at the Health Post, is a two-way street (Figure 9.1). For this system to be fully functional, you have to know the health workers in the nearby health centre or hospital, and they should know all the HEPs at the Health Posts in their catchment area.

A diagram showing the higher health facility should refer/give feedback to the health post and vice-versa.
Figure 9.1  The referral link: a two-way street.

  • Why do you think it is important to know the health workers at the higher-level facilities?

  • One reason is that it is so much easier to write an effective referral note to people you know than to people you don’t. Another reason is that if they know you, they will be more able to trust your judgment and act quickly on it when you refer a mother or baby to them.

9.1  Effective referral

9.2.1  Receiving feedback