Health Care Surveys, Health Services Research, Medical Records Systems, Computerized, Referral and Consultation, Surgery, Day, Surgery, Outpatient, Telemedicine
Conditions
Keywords
One-Stop, Public Health Research, Delivery of Health Care/*standards, Evaluation Studies, Referral, Surgery, Outpatient, Surgery, Day, Telemedicine
Brief summary
We want in this study to investigate the cost-effectiveness and waiting time of direct electronic referral and booking of outpatient surgery compared to the traditional patient pathway where the patient is seen at the outpatient clinic prior to surgery.
Detailed description
Waiting time from referral to day case outpatient surgery is unacceptable long. In Norway it is as much as 48 weeks for common conditions like gallstones, inguinal hernia and sinus pilonidalis. Electronic standardised referrals sent by the Norwegian Healthcare Network, and booking of surgery by the general practitioner might be a way to reduce the waiting time and increase the cost effectiveness of outpatient surgery. The trial is designated as a randomized controlled trial were selected patients (inguinal hernia, gall stone disease and sinus pilonoidalis) referred to the university hospital, were either randomized to direct electronic referral and booking for outpatient surgery (one stop), or using the traditional patient pathway where all patients are seen at the outpatient clinic several weeks before surgery.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALone stop (Electronic standardised referrals and appointment bookings)
The one stop strategy is a set of interventions directed at GPs referring to the University Hospital. The interventions include: Guidelines for referral, standardised electronic referrals, booking for outpatient surgery and a patient information form.
Sponsors
University Hospital of North Norway
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Patients were eligible if they were diagnosed by their GP for an inguinal hernia, sinus pilonidalis or gallstone disease which require surgical treatment.
Exclusion criteria
* Patients with medical conditions making them unfit for outpatient surgery admitted to the surgical department prior to surgery are not eligible
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| waiting time | one year |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| cost effectiveness | one year |
Countries
Norway
Outcome results
None listed