Reducing unnecessary outpatient attendances
International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance
ISSN: 0952-6862
Article publication date: 15 June 2010
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore unnecessary outpatient department attendances and to improve efficiency by actively pre‐assessing patient charts and pre‐specifying management plans before scheduled outpatient visits.
Design/methodology/approach
All charts were reviewed by a senior clinician two weeks before the clinic and a brief, written management plan made.
Findings
A significant reduction in clinic sizes by about 40 per cent can be expected. There was a non‐significant increase in the ratio of new to review patients and no significant reduction in waiting lists.
Research limitations/implications
Pre‐assessing patient charts leads to cancelling unnecessary outpatient reviews, which can increase outpatient department effectiveness.
Originality/value
Clinical efficiency is becoming increasingly important. This work describes a simple strategy to improve outpatient department productivity.
Keywords
Citation
Donnellan, F., Hussain, T., Aftab, A.R. and McGurk, C. (2010), "Reducing unnecessary outpatient attendances", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 23 No. 5, pp. 527-531. https://doi.org/10.1108/09526861011050556
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited