3. Interventions aimed at restructuring referral processes: RCTs.

Study	Outcome	Preintervention value	Postintervention value	Effect
Direct/open access and direct booking systems
McKessock 2001	Mean waiting time from referral to operation (days)	Intervention: NA Control: NA	Intervention: 108 days Control: 127 days	Statistically significant difference (P value 0.003)
Thomas 2003	Median waiting time from referral to initial hospital appointment (IQR, days)	LUTS Intervention: 106 (70‐170) Control: 130 (77‐175) MH Intervention: 65 (41‐107) Control: 65 (48‐96)	LUTS Intervention (IQR): 36 (24‐64) Control: 75 (39‐99) MH Intervention: 41 (31‐58) Control: 47 (34‐62)	LUTS Ratio of means (95% CI): 0.7 (0.5 to 0.9) MH Ratio of means (95% CI): 1.0 (0.7 to 1.2)
Distant consultancy
Leggett 2004	Mean waiting time for appointments (days)	NA	NA	"Median waiting time in study and control groups were similar (mean 55 days; SD=40)"

NA: not available.

IQR: interquartile range.

LUTS: lower urinary tract syndrome.

MH: microscopic haematuria