title: [Impact of an on-duty pulmonologist on the activity of a respiratory medicine department].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact on health care and clinical management of 24-hour coverage by an on-site pulmonologist in a respiratory medicine department.
  
  
  METHODS
  In February 2004, a new respiratory medicine 24-hour duty service was started in our hospital. The activity of the on-duty pulmonologist during the following 12 months was systematically and prospectively recorded. The results were put into perspective by comparing the number of monthly admissions and the mean length of stay during the study period with those of the previous 12-month period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, the on-duty pulmonologist received a mean (SD) of 9.02 (5.27) emergency calls every day, performed 202 diagnostic or therapeutic interventions, and discharged 342 patients. During this period, 1305 patients were admitted to the department (mean length of stay, 8.1 days), whereas in the previous 12 months, with no on-site pulmonologist, 1680 patients were admitted (mean length of stay, 9.0 days). This represents a 22.3% reduction in the annual number of admissions and a reduction in the mean stay by almost 1 day (0.9 days).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The provision of an on-duty pulmonologist was efficient because it facilitated patient turnaround.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neumología, Hospital Universitario Son Dureta, Fundación Caubet-Cimera, Islas Baleares, España.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carrera
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palou
authors.forename: Ernest
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.forename: Catalina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Balaguer
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de la Peña
authors.forename: Alvar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agustí
mesh_terms: D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015272:Pulmonary Medicine; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards*