The inpatient neurology consultation service: value and cost

Michael Douglas, D Peake, Stephen Sturman, A Sivaguru, Carl Clarke, DJ Nichol

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

Abstract

Neurological conditions comprise a significant proportion of patient admissions to hospital but, in the majority of cases, are admitted under the care of non-neurological physicians. As a consequence, neurological ward consultations are commonly requested by the admitting medical teams to review diagnoses and management plans. The outcomes of neurological ward consultations were examined and the time required for the referral process recorded by performing a detailed prospective three-month audit of inpatient referrals to the neurology service. The consultations of 120 patients were recorded, categorised and analysed. These consultations were beneficial in the vast majority of cases, with a clear impact on patient diagnoses or management plans. The consultation process was time consuming, however, both in respect of the initial review, but also with follow-up visits. This audit highlights the importance of neurological input in the diagnosis and management of hospital inpatients. The time taken for this process should be resourced appropriately.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)215-217
Number of pages3
JournalClinical Medicine
Volume11
Issue number3
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2011

Keywords

  • workload
  • job planning referral
  • inpatient consultation

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