Efficacy of a high-resolution consultation system in gastroenterology at an Andalusian hospital center

• Published in: Revista española de enfermedades digestivas Vol. 108; no. 1; pp. 3 - 7
• Main Authors: Zambrana-García, José Luis, Montoro Caba, María Isabel, Chicano Gallardo, Maite, Monrobel Lancho, Ana, Pérez de Luque, Daniel Jesús, Peña Ojeda, José Antonio, Recio Ramírez, José Manuel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Spain Sociedad Española de Patología Digestiva 2016
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Digestive System Diseases - diagnosis; Female; Gastroenterology & Hepatology; Gastroenterology - methods; Gastrointestinal Diseases - diagnosis; Geriatrics & Gerontology; Hospitals; Humans; Infectious Diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Oncology; Pathology; Pharmacology & Pharmacy; Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging; Referral and Consultation; Remote Consultation - methods; Spain; Surgery; High-resolution consultation; Consulta acto único; Consulta de alta resolución; Gastroenterology consultation; Consulta de digestivo; Single consultation
• ISSN: 1130-0108
• DOI: 10.17235/reed.2015.3885/2015

By high resolution consultation (HRC) we mean an ambulatory process of assistance fulfilled in a single day, by which treatment and diagnosis are established and recorded. To assess to which extent patients with digestive conditions may benefit from a single consultation system. A descriptive study of 179 first visit events, randomly selected as high-resolution consultations in gastroenterology. We discuss the percentage of patients who benefited from HRC and the complementary tests performed. Most common conditions included dyspepsia (16%), a family history of colon cancer (16%) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (16%). Seventy-nine (44%) of all first visits became HRCs and 80 (45%) required a diagnostic test (100% abdominal ultrasound) that was reviewed on the same day. Performing a test on the same day significantly increased the percentage of HRCs (57% vs. 34%, p < 0.002). GERD, dyspepsia, cholelithiasis and chronic liver disease were the subjects most commonly leading to HRC. Gastroenterology consultations may largely benefit from an HRC system with only organizational changes and no additional costs.