Unnecessary inter-hospital referral of minor hand injuries: a continuing problem.
BACKGROUND
Trauma patients are a burden on resources in terms of personnel, operating time and bed occupancy. The plastic surgery trauma clinic was established in January 1999 and has been running Monday to Friday mornings from 9 am to 1 pm since its establishment.


OBJECTIVE
To analyse and compare referral patterns to the Plastic Surgery trauma clinic over three time periods.


METHODS
Three time groups were analysed and compared: data from this initial study (2000-2001), a retrospective chart review (2002-2003), as well as a prospective study (2006-2007).


RESULTS
Numbers of attendances at the Trauma Clinic seem to be increasing every year despite encouragement by letter after the initial study for local centres to treat many of the minor injuries not requiring plastic surgical skills.


CONCLUSIONS
Admission rates have remained below 50% of the patients seen in the clinic; however 50% of patients required only local anaesthetic procedures performed in the clinic, or no treatment at all (27.6% of patients in 2003, 35.3% in 2006).
Murphy
S M
SM
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, St James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland. siunmurphy@gmail.com
Whately
K
K
Eadie
P A
PA
Orr
D J
DJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010360:Patient Transfer; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
Ir Med J. 2004 Apr;97(4):106-7
15200218
BMJ. 1990 Aug 4;301(6746):273-6
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