title: Patient initiated clinics for patients with chronic or recurrent conditions managed in secondary care: a systematic review of patient reported outcomes and patient and clinician satisfaction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The cost to the NHS of missed or inappropriate hospital appointments is considerable. Alternative methods of appointment scheduling might be more flexible to patients' needs without jeopardising health and service quality. The objective was to systematically review evidence of patient initiated clinics in secondary care on patient reported outcomes among patients with chronic/recurrent conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven databases were searched from inception to June 2013. Hand searching of included studies references was also conducted. Studies comparing the effects of patient initiated clinics with traditional consultant led clinics in secondary care for patients with long term chronic or recurrent diseases on health related quality of life and/or patient satisfaction were included. Data was extracted by one reviewer and checked by a second. Results were synthesised narratively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven studies were included in the review, these covered a total of 1,655 participants across three conditions: breast cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Quality of reporting was variable. Results showed no significant differences between the intervention and control groups for psychological and health related quality of life outcomes indicating no evidence of harm. Some patients reported significantly more satisfaction using patient-initiated clinics than usual care (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show potential for patient initiated clinics to result in greater patient and clinician satisfaction. The patient-consultant relationship appeared to play an important part in patient satisfaction and should be considered an important area of future research as should the presence or absence of a guidebook to aid self-management. Patient initiated clinics fit the models of care suggested by policy makers and so further research into long term outcomes for patients and service use in this area of practice is both relevant and timely.
authors.affiliation: Peninsula Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (PenCLAHRC), University of Exeter, Veysey Building, Salmon Pool Road, Exeter, Devon EX2 4SG, England. r.s.whear@exeter.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Whear
authors.forename: Abdul-Kareem
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Abdul-Rahman
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thompson-Coon
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boddy
authors.forename: Mark G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D063868:Patient Outcome Assessment; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D063728:Secondary Care Centers / Q000592:standards