Authors (including presenting author) :
Ng KF, Sy WM, Yiu MP, Chan CW, Luk W
Affiliation :
Cheung Sha Wan Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic, Department of Family Medicine & Primary Health Care, Kowloon West Cluster
Introduction :
During daily report screening in general out-patient clinics, abnormal laboratory and imaging results are commonly encountered. However, the severity and urgency of abnormal laboratory results may vary based on different scenarios. The check-attendance system was developed and aimed to reduce unnecessary urgent call-backs, so as to reserve call-back quotas for urgent patients, avoid unnecessary anxiety induced in patients and reduce the workload of clinic staff.
Objectives :
(1) to review the effectiveness of the check-attendance system in improving the efficacy of the call-back system in a local general out-patient clinic. (2) to review the reduction of call-back cases by the check-attendance system which may induce patient anxiety.
Methodology :
Since the implementation of the check-attendance system in a local general out-patient clinic from April 2017, when the screening doctors encountered less alarming laboratory results (e.g. mild hypokalemia, positive rheumatoid factor), a due date was assigned to each case to allow patients to book appointments themselves to review the results before the due date. If the patients attend our clinic before the due date to review the abnormal results, call-back action will be withheld. If not, our clinic staff will call back the patients by if the screening doctor agrees. A 10-month statistics of the check-attendance system was performed from April 2017 to January 2018. The patient list was drawn from written records by clinic staff, and the required clinical information was retrieved from electronic patient record (ePR). Call-back records were also reviewed from written records. The percentage of check-attendance cases not requiring and requiring call-backs were reviewed.
Result & Outcome :
In our review, a total of 366 patients were involved in the check-attendance system from April 2017 to January 2018. 237 patients (64.8%) booked their medical appointments within the time interval, thus not requiring call-backs. 129 patients (35.2%) did not book appointments to review their results, of which 95 patients were eventually called back, and the others had their medical conditions reviewed or managed by other medical units already. The reduction of call-back cases, namely 237 patients in the 10-month period, might reflect a better utilization of the call-back system, as well as avoid unnecessary anxiety induced to patients.
Co-location with:
