[The effect of patient-specialist-continuity in a surgical department. Evaluation of seven years of experiences].
From 1990 through 1997 the working schedules for staff surgeons underwent gradual changes. The aim was to comply with patient demands to receive care from few surgeons during hospital care. To evaluate the effect, four controlled or cross sectional studies were conducted. Quality of care was assessed by surgical audit. Patient and surgeon satisfaction was examined with questionnaires and interviews. Changes in costs were evaluated by administrative data. The number of different specialists providing care was reduced by 50%, initially during inpatient care and later also during outpatient care. The patients experienced this change as very satisfying. Hospital stay was reduced, as was time used by specialists on out-of-hours duty. The quality of care did not change neither did the use of diagnostic tests. The specialists appraised the increased individual responsibility in patient care as satisfying. Initiatives should be taken to examine whether other ways of organising work for hospital employed doctors have similar effect.
Kjaergaard
J
J
H:S Bispebjerg Hospital, kirurgisk gastroenterologisk afdeling K.
Sørensen
L T
LT
Bigaard
J V
JV
Jørgensen
T
T
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003718:Denmark; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008485:Medical Audit; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce