National survey on the activity of internists in shared care-interconsultations in spanish hospitals

• Published in: Revista clínica espanõla (English edition) Vol. 216; no. 8; p. 414
• Main Authors: Marco Martínez, J, Montero Ruíz, E, Fernández Pérez, C, Méndez Bailón, M, García Klepzig, J L, Garrachón Vallo, F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Spanish
• Published: Spain 01.11.2016
• Subjects: Asistencia compartida; Interconsultas; Resource organisation; Healthcare organisation; Interconsultations; España; Organización de recursos; Organización asistencial; Spain; Survey; Internist; Internista; Shared care; Encuesta
• ISSN: 2254-8874; 2254-8874
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rce.2016.04.016

To analyse the activity of interconsultations conducted by the departments of internal medicine, communicating their importance to managers and offering information to these departments to improve their organisation. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an interconsultation activity survey (on-demand consulting activity for other departments) and shared care (consulting activity provided in a regulated manner to other departments). We received 120 surveys that corresponded to 108 public and 12 private hospitals. Forty-five percent of the surveyed hospitals had a specialised interconsultation unit, and 31% had shared care. The department most frequently helped by the presence of a stable consultation unit (65% of the cases) was orthopaedic and trauma surgery. Fifty-five percent of the departments of internal medicine surveyed had an interconsultation activity record since the start of their activity. Ninety-two percent of the departments lacked a protocol that regulated interconsultations, and in 74% of the cases, the interconsultation was on demand. The interconsultation activity is generalised in the departments of internal medicine, but only 45% of these departments have interconsultation units, and only 33% provide the shared care modality. The survey reflects the shortcomings of training and some confusion in the concept of interconsultations. The considerable majority of departments lack organisational interconsultation protocols.