Countries are implementing a number of policies aimed at the efficient delivery of health services. These are in areas such as giving importance to preventive health services, health promotion practices, research and development activities, financial structure, and organization. In stepped health services, referral system is also among those applications in order to increase efficiency in each step service delivery, reduce costs and provide better health care. The referral system is seen as an important application in the general health systems of countries, due to its being initial application, coordination, continuity and comprehensiveness features. The application has positive contributions to the processes such as patient follow-up and patient orientation in terms of primary care physician. In addition, the referral system enables the patients to receive the most appropriate service, and the cost-effective use of the facilities of the second and tertiary health institutions can also be provided. However, in order for the referral system to be effective, the system must be properly installed and operated. And this depends on the coordinated operation of all components of the system. It is known that there are different applications regarding the structure and operation of the referral system throughout the world. A number of initiatives and legislative work has been done from past to present for the implementation of the referral system in Turkey. However, no success has been achieved in practice due to both health system and social factors. It will be effective to take the necessary steps by evaluating each of the components of the system separately and to ensure the integration between the components for both Turkey and other countries that will make efforts to establish the system for the construction of a well-functioning referral system. These components are made up of general determinants of the health system, the structures of referrers, the structures of acceptor organizations, inspection and development, and each component requires a good organization due to its unique structures. In this context, historical process, importance, development process in Turkey and the components of referral system, with an important role in the delivery of health services, is evaluated in this study.