The effect of GMC guidelines on the length of otolaryngological out-patient clinics in a district general hospital.
The British Association of Otolaryngologists has laid down guidelines on the length of time that should be allocated to an out-patient consultation. The General Medical Council (GMC) has also produced guidelines as to what is to be discussed with a patient during an out-patient consultation. This study was designed to determine what effect adhering to the GMC's guidelines would have on the length of an out-patient consultation. Out-Patient consultations were timed for patients referred with common otolaryngological complaints. The study was then repeated after the researchers had been given specific instructions on what to discuss with the patients to comply with the GMC guidelines. Consultation times more than doubled after application of the GMC guidelines. This study highlights the difficulty of specifically adhering to guidelines from our regulatory body, while attempting to fulfil the demands for consultations, with the existing manpower levels available.
Banerjee
A
A
Ear, Nose, Throat & Eye Research (ENTER), North Riding Infirmary, Middlesbrough, UK.
Yates
P D
PD
Hawthorne
M R
MR
D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D006767:Hospitals, District; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs; D009819:Office Visits; D010036:Otolaryngology; D010038:Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases / Q000145:classification*; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom