Audit of frequent attendees to an ENT emergency clinic.
OBJECTIVE
To audit the number of patients attending an ENT emergency clinic more than twice in the same clinical episode.


METHODS
A completed audit cycle. The inclusion criterion for the retrospective arm was patients who had attended the ENT emergency clinic more than twice between 1 September to 30 November 2007. Data were analysed and interventions implemented. The re-audit, using the same inclusion criteria, was done between 1 March to 31 May 2008.


RESULTS
The initial audit found that 38 patients were seen more than twice in the ENT emergency clinic, giving rise to 81 'excess' clinic appointments. After intervention, the re-audit identified 19 patients who were seen more than twice in the ENT emergency clinic, giving rise to 24 'excess' clinic appointments.


CONCLUSIONS
By insisting that patients seen more than twice in the ENT emergency clinic were reviewed by a senior clinician, and by introducing a management guideline for acute otitis externa, we reduced excess clinic appointments by 70 per cent.
Fishpool
S J C
SJ
Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Glan Clwyd Hospital, Bodelwyddan, UK. samfishpool@gmail.com
Stanton
E
E
Chawishly
E-K
EK
Hicklin
L A C
LA
D017677:Age Distribution; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006300:Health Services Misuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D010032:Otitis Externa / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D010036:Otolaryngology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012189:Retrospective Studies