OPEN ACCESS ENDOSCOPY - IS THE LOST OUTPATIENT-CLINIC OF VALUE

Citation
Bp. Saunders et Pn. Trewby, OPEN ACCESS ENDOSCOPY - IS THE LOST OUTPATIENT-CLINIC OF VALUE, Postgraduate medical journal, 69(816), 1993, pp. 787-790
Citations number
9
Categorie Soggetti
Medicine, General & Internal
ISSN journal
00325473
Volume
69
Issue
816
Year of publication
1993
Pages
787 - 790
Database
ISI
SICI code
0032-5473(1993)69:816<787:OAE-IT>2.0.ZU;2-B
Abstract
To test the value of an outpatient visit in patients with dyspepsia, 7 9 patients considered suitable for open access endoscopy by their gene ral practitioners were instead seen in the medical outpatient clinic f irst. In 35 patients immediate endoscopy was seen as an inappropriate investigation and 23 of these were spared endoscopy. In 11 patients im portant extra diagnoses were made in the clinic which would have been delayed or missed had the patients been sent straight for open access endoscopy. Sixty-eight per cent of patients, when asked by questionnai re, said they preferred to be seen in the clinic first rather than com e for open access endoscopy. These results lend support to the traditi onal medical clinic appointment followed by endoscopy if and when appr opriate rather than the open access endoscopy system.