Formal adult infectious disease outpatient consultations: a retrospective 6-year survey.
BACKGROUND
The field of outpatient infectious disease (ID) consultations is expanding. Surprisingly, limited data are available regarding the scope of formal, adult, outpatient ID consultations.


METHODS
The computerized records of all adult outpatient ID consultations conducted by a single ID expert over the years 2001-2007 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic, clinical and management characteristics were studied.


RESULTS
We identified 619 eligible cases, mostly women (61.4%). The mean age (+/- SD) was 39 +/- 15.5 years, and each patient had 1.3 +/- 0.7 visits on average. In 12% of the cases, symptoms have been fluctuating for > or = 1 year. Most of the cases (54.3%) have been referred for the purpose of management rather than diagnostics. Largest areas leading to ID consultation were post-travel medical conditions (15.5%) and pregnancy-related infections (11%); specific leading categories were viral infections (17.3%), skin and soft tissue syndromes (15.2%) and gastrointestinal syndromes (7.6%). Recurrent, well-characterized infections plus ill-defined syndromes constituted a substantial part of all referrals. Newly discovered findings were elicited in the medical history and physical examination in 3.7% and 2.7% of cases, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Formal outpatient ID consultations have unique aspects, which differ from "traditional" inpatient consultations. The field offers exciting medical research possibilities and new themes for healthcare executives.
Grupper
M
M
Infectious Diseases Unit, Bnai Zion Medical Center, PO Box 4940, 31048 Haifa, Israel. moti.grupper@b-zion.org.il
Potasman
I
I
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014195:Travel; D055815:Young Adult