Comparison of referral characteristics, between August and December, for the current service (2016) in contrast to the hyperacute neurology unit pilot (2015) and a traditional model of neurology liaison (2011)
| Standard model September–November 2011 | Hyperacute neurology unit pilot September–November 2015 | Hyperacute neurology service September–November 2016 | p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caseload, n (direct:ED) | 132 | 117 | 215 (144:71) | NA |
| Age, years, mean (SD) | 50.2 (22.7) | 47.6 (20.5) | 53.2 (22.4) | NS |
| Gender, F:M | 70:62 | 71:46 | 132:92 | NS |
| Time to review, days, median (IQR) | 2.0 (3.9–18.0) | 0.0 (0.0–1.0) | 0.0 (0.0–1.0) | <0.001 |
| Time from review to d/c, days, median (IQR) | 4.0 (1.0–11.8) | 2.0 (1.0–5.5) | 0.0 (0.0–3.0) | <0.001 |
| Length of stay, days, median (IQR) | 7.0 (3.0–18.0) | 2.0 (1.0–6.0) | 1.0 (0.0–4.0) | <0.001 |
| Consultant review, % | 77.2 | 100 | 100 | NA |
| Review area, acute:other | 21:111 | 117:0 | 193:22 | <0.001 |
Note that 215 referrals reviewed by hyperacute neurology service comprise 144 direct referrals and 71 emergency department facing stroke mimic assessments. d/c = discharge; ED = emergency department; F = female; IQR = interquartile range; M = male; NA = not applicable; NS = not statistically significant; SD = standard deviation.