> > There is one paper I know of which sounds as though it is close to what
> you
> > want - at a hospital in Italy they introduced a system where senior
> internal
> > physicians saw patients in the Emergency Department. They monitored
> outcomes
> > before and after the change. They found something like a 20% reduction in
> > admissions with no worsening of clinical outcomes. This study was about 15
> > years ago. I can't remember the citation, but if you are interested let me
> > know and I will dig it out.
We did something very similar when I was an SR in Leeds and the data was
presented at an audit meeting at the time. We were able to reduce the acute
admissions by only 10% through A & E. However of these sent home a further 85%
were subsequently admitted within 24 hours. As I get older I get more cynical
and I'm afraid more people come to hospital because they need someone to care
and nurse them and a very ill.
We have crisis response and outreach teams desperately trying to keep patients
out of hospital. Can't see it working I'm afraid
Danny
McGeehan
---------------------------------------------------------------
This message was sent using Internet Central's Web Based Email.
http://www.internet-central.net/
|