title: Can pre-assessment of patients with LUTS result in early discharge from urology clinic?
abstract: Waiting times for appointments for urological out-patients in Ireland and the U.K. can be excessively long. Nurse-led Lower Urinary Tract symptom (LUTs) pre-assessment clinics have been introduced to streamline patient care pathways. We examined whether a nurse-led pre-assessment LUTS clinic could result in the rapid assessment and discharge of patients following their first out-patient visit. A pilot study was undertaken whereby patients referred with LUTS were sent for pre-assessment prior to their out-patients appointment. 214 consecutive patients underwent pre-assessment. Of these, 39 (18%) patients were discharged following their first out-patient visit and 27 (13%) patients were discharged after a second attendance. A further 35 (16%) patients continued to attend but underwent no further investigations or treatment, and possibly should have been discharged earlier. Overall 46% of pre-assessed patients could have been discharged early from the urology clinic. In conclusion a nurse-led pre-assessment LUTS clinic could result in the rapid assessment and discharge of patients following their first out-patient visit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, St Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin. kathdowling@hotmail.com
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Dowling
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lennon
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mulvin
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Quinlan
mesh_terms: D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009733:Nursing Diagnosis; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013038:Specialization; D013997:Time Factors; D014570:Urologic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000451:nursing