Follow-up of discrepancies in X-ray and electrocardiogram interpretations, and positive laboratory results.
This article describes the 1-year follow-up program implemented at Baystate Medical Center Emergency Department during 1999. Our previous system used staff who worked clinically, which led to prolonged delays in follow-up. Before initiating the program, 57% [95% confidence interval (CI): 55-59%] of all follow-up cases were done within 3 days. After program implementation, 69% (95% CI: 67-72%) of all follow-up cases were completed in the same time frame. We reduced our "delayed" follow-up cases from 20% (95% CI: 18-22%) to 4% (95% CI: 3-5%) of all cases. Critical to the new system is the assignment of nurse-physician pairing to do follow-up when they are not doing direct patient care.
Emergency Medicine Department, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, Massachusetts 01199, USA.
J P
JP
Santoro
F S
FS
Blank
H
H
Smithline
D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004635:Emergency Medicine; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008404:Massachusetts; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011872:Radiology Department, Hospital; D014965:X-Rays