Emergency workload in otolaryngology.
A 6-month prospective audit of the otolaryngology emergency workload in a district general hospital was undertaken. A total of 742 cases was referred of whom 193 (26%) were children (< 16 years). The male to female ratio was equal, and 69% of cases were referred from the accident and emergency department. Although most conditions were minor enough to be managed in the ward treatment room and either discharged (40%) or followed up as outpatients (27%), more than one-quarter of patients (28%) needed management by a post-fellowship ENT surgeon. Of the patients, 31% (230/742) were admitted, of whom 107 (46%) required an operation under general anaesthesia. The consequent ENT emergency workload represented 24% of all new patient referrals, 20% of ENT ward admissions and 10% of ENT surgical procedures.
Department of ENT Surgery, Charing Cross Hospital, London.
N R
NR
Bleach
P A
PA
Williamson
S M
SM
Mady
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006767:Hospitals, District / Q000458:organization & administration; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D010036:Otolaryngology / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010038:Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016526:Workload