title: [The dermatologic consultation].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dermatology and venereology, as a cross-sectional discipline, plays an important role in the interdisciplinary care of inpatients. Nonetheless, only a few studies on dermatological consultations have been performed. We reviewed the dermatological consulting service at the University Hospital of the Martin-Luther-University, Halle, Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  All consultations performed in 2001 and 2002 were retrospectively assessed. In addition, the time spent in consulting activities was prospectively recorded over a period of six months (January-June 2003).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 2390 consultations were evaluated. Most of the consultations (42.8%) were made on internal medicine wards, followed by pediatrics (11.7%), neurology (9.9%) and cardiothoracic surgery (5.7%). Infectious skin diseases accounted for the most frequent diagnosis at 24.4%. The time lapse between request and performance of the consultation averaged 1.1 days. Patients older than 40 years needed dermatological consultation more frequently than younger patients. The duration of consultation averaged 23 minutes (time to site, patient examination, documentation). Thus, the man-hours required for the consulting service is 33.6 per month.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study emphasizes that dermatological consultation services make an important contribution to the care of inpatients. In light of increasing specialization in medicine, the consulting service guarantees interdisciplinary treatment of the patients and is thus an important quality parameter for inpatient care.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinik und Poliklinik für Dermatologie und Venerologie der Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale). matthias.fischer@medizin.uni-halle.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bergert
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Marsch
mesh_terms: D015897:Comorbidity; D003880:Dermatology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014686:Venereology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*