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Adu MK, da Luz Dias R, Obuobi-Donkor G, Ezeanozie N, Sridharan S, Morrison J, Simon P, Taylor B, MacKinnon M, Gossen S, Awara M, White M, Shalaby R, Agyapong B, Eboreime E, Wang J, Feng C, Wozney L, Koto P, Warford J, Murphy GT, Agyapong VIO. Reducing wait times and avoiding unnecessary use of high-cost mental health services through a Rapid Access and Stabilization Program: protocol for a program evaluation study. BMC Health Serv Res 2024; 24:247. [PMID: 38413957 PMCID: PMC10898149 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-024-10697-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emergency psychiatric care, unplanned hospital admissions, and inpatient health care are the costliest forms of mental health care. According to Statistics Canada (2018), almost 18% (5.3 million) of Canadians reported needing mental health support. However, just above half of this figure (56.2%) have reported their needs were fully met. In light of this evidence there is a pressing need to provide accessible mental health services in flexible yet cost-effective ways. To further expand capacity and access to mental health care in the province, Nova Scotia Health has launched a novel mental health initiative for people in need of mental health care without requiring emergency department visits or hospitalization. This new service is referred to as the Rapid Access and Stabilization Program (RASP). This study evaluates the effectiveness and impact of the RASP on high-cost health services utilization (e.g. ED visits, mobile crisis visits, and inpatient treatments) and related costs. It also assesses healthcare partners' (e.g. healthcare providers, policymakers, community leaders) perceptions and patient experiences and satisfaction with the program and identifies sociodemographic characteristics, psychological conditions, recovery, well-being, and risk measures in the assisted population. METHOD This is a hypothesis-driven program evaluation study that employs a mixed methods approach. A within-subject comparison (pre- and post-evaluation study) will examine health services utilization data from patients attending RASP, one year before and one year after their psychiatry assessment at the program. A controlled between-subject comparison (cohort study) will use historical data from a control population will examine whether possible changes in high-cost health services utilization are associated with the intervention (RASP). The primary analysis involves extracting secondary data from provincial information systems, electronic medical records, and regular self-reported clinical assessments. Additionally, a qualitative sub-study will examine patient experience and satisfaction, and health care partners' impressions. DISCUSSION We expect that RASP evaluation findings will demonstrate a minimum 10% reduction in high-cost health services utilization and corresponding 10% cost savings, and also a reduction in the wait times for patient consultations with psychiatrists to less than 30 calendar days, in both within-subject and between-subject comparisons. In addition, we anticipate that patients, healthcare providers and healthcare partners would express high levels of satisfaction with the new service. CONCLUSION This study will demonstrate the results of the Mental Health and Addictions Program (MHAP) efforts to provide stepped-care, particularly community-based support, to individuals with mental illnesses. Results will provide new insights into a novel community-based approach to mental health service delivery and contribute to knowledge on how to implement mental health programs across varying contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Medard K Adu
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Raquel da Luz Dias
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Gloria Obuobi-Donkor
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Ngozi Ezeanozie
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Sanjana Sridharan
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Jason Morrison
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Patryk Simon
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Bryanne Taylor
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Monica MacKinnon
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Shiloh Gossen
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Mahmoud Awara
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Mattew White
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Reham Shalaby
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Belinda Agyapong
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Ejemai Eboreime
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - JianLi Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Cindy Feng
- Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Lori Wozney
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, IWK Health, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Prosper Koto
- Research, Innovation and Discovery, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Jordan Warford
- Research, Innovation and Discovery, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | | | - Vincent Israel Opoku Agyapong
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
- Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS, Canada.
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Fagbemigun R, Benchluch A, Le K, Diaz PL, Lewis EC. Implementation of a Virtual Rapid Access Epilepsy Clinic. Can J Neurol Sci 2021;:1-2. [PMID: 33988117 DOI: 10.1017/cjn.2021.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Klimis H, Von Huben A, Turnbull S, Han J, Chen H, Nalliah CJ, Thiagalingam A, Chow CK, Kumar S. Rapid Access Arrhythmia Clinics (RAACs) Versus Usual Care: Improving Efficiency and Safety of Arrhythmia Management. Heart Lung Circ 2020; 30:665-673. [PMID: 33223494 DOI: 10.1016/j.hlc.2020.10.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rapid access cardiology services have been proposed for assessment of acute cardiac conditions via an outpatient model-of-care that potentially could reduce hospitalisations. We describe a new Rapid Access Arrhythmia Clinic (RAAC) and compare major safety endpoints to usual care. METHODS We matched 312 adult patients with suspected arrhythmia in RAAC to historical age and sex-matched controls discharged from hospital within Western Sydney Local Health District with suspected arrhythmia. The primary endpoint was a composite of time to first unplanned cardiovascular hospitalisation or cardiac death over 12 months. RESULTS The average age of RAAC patients was 52.2±18.8 years and 51.6±18.8 years for controls, and 48.4% were female in both groups. Mean time from referral to first attended RAAC appointment was 10.5 days. Most were referred from emergency (177, 56.7%) and cardiologists at time of discharge (65, 20.8%). The most common reason for referral was palpitations (180, 57.7%). In total, 155 (49.7%) had a documented arrhythmia, with the most common being atrial fibrillation/flutter (88, 28.2%). The primary endpoint occurred in 35 (11.2%) patients in the RAAC pathway (97.1[95% CI 70-131.3] per 1,000 person-years), compared to 72 (23.1%) patients for usual care controls (229.5[95% CI 180.2-288.1] per 1,000 person-years). Using a propensity score analysis, RAAC pathway significantly reduced the primary endpoint by 59% compared to usual care (HR 0.41, 95% CI 0.27-0.62; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS RAACs for the early investigation and management of suspected arrhythmia is superior to usual care in terms of reduction in unplanned cardiovascular hospitalisation and death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Klimis
- Westmead Applied Research Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia; Department of Cardiology Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia. https://twitter.com/HarryKlimis
| | - Amy Von Huben
- Westmead Applied Research Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Samual Turnbull
- Westmead Applied Research Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia; Department of Cardiology Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Joanne Han
- Clinical Analytics, Western Sydney Local Health District, NSW, Australia
| | - Henry Chen
- Department of Cardiology Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Aravinda Thiagalingam
- Westmead Applied Research Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia; Department of Cardiology Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Clara K Chow
- Westmead Applied Research Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia; Department of Cardiology Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Saurabh Kumar
- Westmead Applied Research Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia; Department of Cardiology Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia. https://twitter.com/SaurabhkumarEp
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Nene S, Gonczi L, Kurti Z, Morin I, Chavez K, Verdon C, Reinglas J, Kohen R, Bessissow T, Afif W, Wild G, Seidman E, Bitton A, Lakatos PL. Benefits of implementing a rapid access clinic in a high-volume inflammatory bowel disease center: Access, resource utilization and outcomes. World J Gastroenterol 2020; 26:759-769. [PMID: 32116423 PMCID: PMC7039829 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v26.i7.759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2019] [Revised: 12/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emergency situations in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) put significant burden on both the patient and the healthcare system.
AIM To prospectively measure Quality-of-Care indicators and resource utilization after the implementation of the new rapid access clinic service (RAC) at a tertiary IBD center.
METHODS Patient access, resource utilization and outcome parameters were collected from consecutive patients contacting the RAC between July 2017 and March 2019 in this observational study. For comparing resource utilization and healthcare costs, emergency department (ED) visits of IBD patients with no access to RAC services were evaluated between January 2018 and January 2019. Time to appointment, diagnostic methods, change in medical therapy, unplanned ED visits, hospitalizations and surgical admissions were calculated and compared.
RESULTS 488 patients (Crohn’s disease: 68.4%/ulcerative colitis: 31.6%) contacted the RAC with a valid medical reason. Median time to visit with an IBD specialist following the index contact was 2 d. Patients had objective clinical and laboratory assessment (C-reactive protein and fecal calprotectin in 91% and 73%). Fast-track colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy was performed in 24.6% of the patients, while computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging in only 8.1%. Medical therapy was changed in 54.4%. ED visits within 30 d following the RAC visit occurred in 8.8% (unplanned ED visit rate: 5.9%). Diagnostic procedures and resource utilization at the ED (n = 135 patients) were substantially different compared to RAC users: Abdominal computed tomography was more frequent (65.7%, P < 0.001), coupled with multiple specialist consults, more frequent hospital admission (P < 0.001), higher steroid initiation (P < 0.001). Average medical cost estimates of diagnostic procedures and services per patient was $403 CAD vs $1885 CAD comparing all RAC and ED visits.
CONCLUSION Implementation of a RAC improved patient care by facilitating easier access to IBD specific medical care, optimized resource utilization and helped avoiding ED visits and subsequent hospitalizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Nene
- Division of Gastroenterology, McGill University Health Centre, Quebec, Montreal H3G1A4, Canada
| | - Lorant Gonczi
- First Department of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest H-1083, Hungary
| | - Zsuzsanna Kurti
- First Department of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest H-1083, Hungary
| | - Isabelle Morin
- Division of Gastroenterology, McGill University Health Centre, Quebec, Montreal H3G1A4, Canada
| | - Kelly Chavez
- Division of Gastroenterology, McGill University Health Centre, Quebec, Montreal H3G1A4, Canada
| | - Christine Verdon
- Division of Gastroenterology, McGill University Health Centre, Quebec, Montreal H3G1A4, Canada
| | - Jason Reinglas
- Division of Gastroenterology, McGill University Health Centre, Quebec, Montreal H3G1A4, Canada
| | - Rita Kohen
- Division of Gastroenterology, McGill University Health Centre, Quebec, Montreal H3G1A4, Canada
| | - Talat Bessissow
- Division of Gastroenterology, McGill University Health Centre, Quebec, Montreal H3G1A4, Canada
| | - Waqqas Afif
- Division of Gastroenterology, McGill University Health Centre, Quebec, Montreal H3G1A4, Canada
| | - Gary Wild
- Division of Gastroenterology, McGill University Health Centre, Quebec, Montreal H3G1A4, Canada
| | - Ernest Seidman
- Division of Gastroenterology, McGill University Health Centre, Quebec, Montreal H3G1A4, Canada
| | - Alain Bitton
- Division of Gastroenterology, McGill University Health Centre, Quebec, Montreal H3G1A4, Canada
| | - Peter Laszlo Lakatos
- First Department of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest H-1083, Hungary
- Division of Gastroenterology, McGill University Health Centre, Quebec, Montreal H3G1A4, Canada
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Iyer SN, Shah J, Boksa P, Lal S, Joober R, Andersson N, Fuhrer R, Abdel-Baki A, Beaton AM, Reaume-Zimmer P, Hutt-MacLeod D, Levasseur MA, Chandrasena R, Rousseau C, Torrie J, Etter M, Vallianatos H, Abba-Aji A, Bighead S, MacKinnon A, Malla AK. A minimum evaluation protocol and stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial of ACCESS Open Minds, a large Canadian youth mental health services transformation project. BMC Psychiatry 2019; 19:273. [PMID: 31488144 PMCID: PMC6729084 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-019-2232-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many Canadian adolescents and young adults with mental health problems face delayed detection, long waiting lists, poorly accessible services, care of inconsistent quality and abrupt or absent inter-service transitions. To address these issues, ACCESS Open Minds, a multi-stakeholder network, is implementing and systematically evaluating a transformation of mental health services for youth aged 11 to 25 at 14 sites across Canada. The transformation plan has five key foci: early identification, rapid access, appropriate care, the elimination of age-based transitions between services, and the engagement of youth and families. METHODS The ACCESS Open Minds Research Protocol has multiple components including a minimum evaluation protocol and a stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial, that are detailed in this paper. Additional components include qualitative methods and cost-effectiveness analyses. The services transformation is being evaluated at all sites via a minimum evaluation protocol. Six sites are participating in the stepped-wedge trial whereby the intervention (a service transformation along the key foci) was rolled out in three waves, each commencing six months apart. Two sites, one high-population and one low-population, were randomly assigned to each of the three waves, i.e., randomization was stratified by population size. Our primary hypotheses pertain to increased referral numbers, and reduced wait times to initial assessment and to the commencement of appropriate care. Secondary hypotheses pertain to simplified pathways to care; improved clinical, functional and subjective outcomes; and increased satisfaction among youth and families. Quantitative measures addressing these hypotheses are being used to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. DISCUSSION Data from our overall research strategy will help test the effectiveness of the ACCESS Open Minds transformation, refine it further, and inform its scale-up. The process by which our research strategy was developed has implications for the practice of research itself in that it highlights the need to actively engage all stakeholder groups and address unique considerations in designing evaluations of complex healthcare interventions in multiple, diverse contexts. Our approach will generate both concrete evidence and nuanced insights, including about the challenges of conducting research in real-world settings. More such innovative approaches are needed to advance youth mental health services research. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Clinicaltrials.gov, ISRCTN23349893 (Retrospectively registered: 16/02/2017).
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Affiliation(s)
- Srividya N. Iyer
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Québec Canada
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychosis (PEPP), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal, Québec Canada
| | - Jai Shah
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Québec Canada
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychosis (PEPP), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
| | - Patricia Boksa
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Québec Canada
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
| | - Shalini Lal
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- School of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l’Universite de Montreal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Québec Canada
| | - Ridha Joober
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Québec Canada
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychosis (PEPP), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
| | - Neil Andersson
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, Community Information and Epidemiological Technologies (CIET) Institute and Participatory Research at McGill (PRAM), McGill University, Montréal, Québec Canada
- McGill University Institute for Human Development and Well-being, Montréal, Québec Canada
| | - Rebecca Fuhrer
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal, Québec Canada
| | - Amal Abdel-Baki
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l’Universite de Montreal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Québec Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM), CRCHUM, Montréal, Québec Canada
| | - Ann M. Beaton
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences and Community Services, Université de Moncton, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Paula Reaume-Zimmer
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Mental Health and Addictions Services, Bluewater Health and Canadian Mental Health Association, Lambton Kent, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daphne Hutt-MacLeod
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Eskasoni Mental Health Services, Eskasoni First Nation, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Mary Anne Levasseur
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- ACCESS Open Minds Family and Carers Council, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
| | - Ranjith Chandrasena
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Schulich School of Medicine, Western University, London, Ontario Canada
| | - Cécile Rousseau
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Québec Canada
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Centre de recherche SHERPA, Institut Universitaire au regard des communautés ethno culturelles, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) du Centre-Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montreal, Montréal, Québec Canada
| | - Jill Torrie
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Public Health Department, Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay, Cree Nation of Mistissini, Québec Canada
| | - Meghan Etter
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Counselling Services, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada
| | - Helen Vallianatos
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Department of Anthropology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta Canada
| | - Adam Abba-Aji
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Alberta Health Services, Edmonton Zone, Edmonton, Alberta Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta Canada
| | - Shirley Bighead
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Sturgeon Lake Health Centre, Sturgeon Lake First Nation, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Aileen MacKinnon
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Saqijuq Project, Nunavik, Québec Canada
| | - Ashok K. Malla
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, Québec Canada
- ACCESS Open Minds (Pan-Canadian Youth Mental Health Services Research Network), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychosis (PEPP), Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montréal, Québec Canada
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal, Québec Canada
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Lenderink T, Balkestein EJM. First time referral reasons, diagnoses and 10-year follow-up of patients seen at a Dutch fast lane outpatient cardiology clinic. Neth Heart J 2019; 27:354-61. [PMID: 30953280 DOI: 10.1007/s12471-019-1266-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To describe reasons for referral, diagnostic procedures, diagnoses and long-term follow-up of first-time referred patients to a fast lane outpatient cardiology clinic (FLOCC). Methods A descriptive report of results obtained in a newly organised outpatient clinic. Data up to final diagnosis were recorded from electronic medical records. Follow-up data were obtained from electronic medical records, contacting patients and/or their general practitioners. Results During the first 3 months of 2007, 419 patients were seen at the FLOCC. Of these patients, 360 were referred by general practitioners, 55 by other specialists and four were self-referrals. The largest referral groups were: chest complaints (44%), palpitations (19%) and dyspnoea (12%). In 65% of the 419 patients, cardiovascular disease was ruled out and they were discharged. Of these, 41% of the diagnoses were made on the same day, with a further 44% after additional investigations, mostly Holter registration. During 10 years of follow-up, 49 patients died: 17 of cardiac, 29 of non-cardiac, mainly cancer, and three of unknown causes. Of the initially discharged patients, 35% were referred again after an average of 4 years (1,443 days), with 47% reporting similar complaints. Conclusion Of the patients referred to our FLOCC, most had chest pain. In one-third of all patients, cardiac disease was ruled out on the same day. Of all the patients discharged, 85% were diagnosed after basic investigations that could be ordered by a general practitioner. Holter registration was the most frequently requested additional investigation. These results support the development of less expensive, easily accessible extramural cardiology clinics.
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Abstract
Historically rapid-access colorectal clinics have had high proportions of nonconforming referrals from primary care physicians, which calls into question the clinics' efficacy. We aim to determine the effectiveness of our rapid-access flexible sigmoidoscopy clinic, and the adherence to the referral guidelines for suspected bowel cancer by general practitioners. We performed a 3-month retrospective audit to evaluate (1) the proportion of patients seen within 2 weeks, (2) the appropriateness of referrals, (3) the proportion of patients with findings, and (4) the proportion of patients who had further tests. A total of 59 patients (19 male, 40 female; age 35-86 years) were included in the study. All were offered an appointment within 2 weeks. Forty-one cases (82%) were appropriate referrals. Twenty-eight patients (47%) had pathology at sigmoidoscopy. Cancer pick-up rate was 6%. Thirty-seven patients (74%) had further investigations. We determined that our rapid-access clinic for symptomatic patients has high diagnostic accuracy and that access to early investigation is being used appropriately by general practitioners. In the current climate of spending cuts and streamlining services, our study confirms we are meeting targets for delivery of our colorectal service. The majority of referrals under the 2-week rule are appropriate. Rapid access to early investigation is being used appropriately by general practitioners contrasting previous studies with high proportions of nonconforming referrals.
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