title: Compliance to clinical pathways in the management of suspected pulmonary embolus: are there cost implications?
abstract: This study investigated the cost implications of poor compliance to established guidelines for management of suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) in two NSW public hospitals. A retrospective audit showed that the prevalence of PE overall was 9.9% (4.3% in the low-risk groups) in 436 patients. An estimated total of $32 454 (14%) was spent on unnecessary tests.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Medicine, Wollongong and Shellharbour Hospital, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.|Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Ata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rehman
authors.affiliation: Division of General Medicine, Wollongong and Shellharbour Hospital, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yelf
authors.affiliation: Division of General Medicine, Wollongong and Shellharbour Hospital, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.affiliation: Division of General Medicine, Wollongong and Shellharbour Hospital, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.|Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Wilf
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yeo
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography; D054869:Clinical Audit; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D019091:Critical Pathways / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D
keywords: clinical audit; cost implication; hospital/standard; pretest probability; pulmonary embolism