Priority access criteria for elective cholecystectomy: a comparison of three scoring methods.
OBJECTIVE
To compare two priority access criteria scoring methods for elective cholecystectomy, with a score based on clinical judgement obtained using a linear analogue scale.


METHODS
Patients placed on the waiting list for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy between June and October 1997 were prioritised using the three methods.


RESULTS
Data were obtained for 22 patients. The distributions of scores were different but there was a significant correlation between them. However, limits of agreement analysis demonstrated little agreement between them with a difference of +/- 30 points (out of a 100) between scores obtained with each method.


CONCLUSIONS
The proposed methods for establishing priority access to elective cholecystectomy are poor tools, require validation and bear little relation to expert clinical judgement.
Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, University of Auckland.
E R
ER
Dennett
R R
RR
Kipping
B R
BR
Parry
J
J
Windsor
D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015276:Health Care Rationing; D006292:Health Priorities; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D018579:Patient Selection; D013222:State Medicine; D014850:Waiting Lists