The problem of seeing hospital staff without G.P. referral--the otolaryngological experience.
Over a three month period, a record was kept of the number of hospital staff who approached the E.N.T. team requesting help for a medical problem. Staff members included doctors, nurses, clerical staff, paramedical staff and porters. The total number of employees in the hospital was recorded. The average General practitioner public patient list (General medical Service cardholders) for South Dublin was recorded (our hospital is in south west Dublin). The total number of hospital staff seen by E.N.T. in 3 months was seventy seven. The total number of hospital staff seen by other surgical specialties was approximately one hundred and sixty seven. Extrapolation of numbers seen by E.N.T. service in three months to numbers seen over a one year period is 308 patients. The numbers seen by the E.N.T. service in three months corresponds to 11.7% of the average South Dublin General Practitioner Medical card list. It has been estimated that approximately 20% of all problems the average General practitioner sees in a week are E.N.T. related. Those practices with a smaller paediatric population would have approximately 15% of the total practice concearned with E.N.T. problems. Therefore as 15% of 2,400 (total hospital staff) = 360, there is potentially a small General Practice which is 'hidden' within the hospital.
Walshe
P
P
Tallaght Hospital, Dublin. pwalshe@rcsi.ie
McGrain
S
S
Colgan
G
G
McShane
D
D
D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D010036:Otolaryngology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010038:Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*