Preclinic telephone consultations: an observational cohort study

O'Byrne, L; Roberts, NJ; Partridge, MR

Abstract

Patients referred to secondary care for specialist respiratory review frequently undergo multiple hospital attendances for investigations and consultations. This study evaluated the potential of a preclinic telephone consultation and subsequent coordination of tests and face-to-face consultations to reduce hospital visits. Total hospital attendances were recorded for three cohorts (participants, non-participants and comparators) for 6 months from first specialist contact. Patients completed the medical interview satisfaction scale-21 (MISS-21). The study showed that a preclinic telephone consultation can significantly reduce hospital visits over a fixed period without reducing patient satisfaction. In total, 20.8% of the participant group had three or more hospital attendances compared with 42.9% of the non-participant group (p=0.001) and 44.7% of the comparator group (p=0.002). Participants had fewer follow up visits and lower rates of non-attendance/late rearrangement of appointments. This service reduces unnecessary hospital visits, seems to improve patient compliance and may save costs associated with non-attendance and follow up consultations.

Citation

O'Byrne, L., Roberts, N., & Partridge, M. (2012). Preclinic telephone consultations: an observational cohort study. Clinical Medicine, 12(2), 140-145. https://doi.org/10.7861/clinmedicine.12-2-140

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Apr 1, 2012
• Publication Date: 2012-04
• Deposit Date: Aug 30, 2022
• Journal: Clinical Medicine
• Print ISSN: 1470-2118
• Electronic ISSN: 1473-4893
• Publisher: Royal College of Physicians
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 140-145
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.7861/clinmedicine.12-2-140
• Keywords: Consultations, respiratory, telephone
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2899597