RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 What is the effect of re-introducing a clinical conversation into urgent referral pathways?
JF Future Hospital Journal
JO Future Hosp J
FD Royal College of Physicians
SP 134
OP 137
DO 10.7861/futurehosp.4-2-134
VO 4
IS 2
A1 Ivan LeJeune
A1 Rebecca JA Sims
A1 Hugh Porter
A1 Guy Mansford
A1 Anastasios G Gazis
YR 2017
UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/4/2/134.abstract
AB Demand for assessment at the acute medicine receiving unit (AMRU) regularly exceeded the capacity of the AMRU to assess and treat in a timely way. Audit work suggested that 28% of patients arriving could have had their care delivered in an alternative setting by a service that was already available. The system of referral was redesigned to re-introduce a mandatory GP to consultant clinical conversation to enable navigation of patients to the most appropriate clinical setting. This has relieved pressure on the AMRU and means that patients are directed to the right clinical setting, first time, more of the time. The numbers of patients presenting to the AMRU following such a conversation who could have had care delivered in an alternative setting has dropped below 5%. The ambulatory care rate for the AMRU has been maintained at 43%.