{"title":"765 Enhancing the Quality of Referrals to Vascular Surgery at a District General Hospital: A Closed-Loop Quality Improvement Project","authors":"L. Boyce","doi":"10.1093/bjs/znae163.031","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"\n This quality improvement project aimed to improve the completeness of referrals to vascular surgery from in-patient wards and the Sameday Emergency Care unit at a UK district general hospital. We implemented a comprehensive vascular surgery proforma to enhance the quality of referrals to the department.\n Referrals made between 01/01/23 and 01/03/23 were assessed according to Professional Record Standards Body (PRSB) guidelines, which outlines the necessary information to be included in clinical referrals. The new proforma was introduced to all hospital clinicians, enabling them to email completed referrals to a dedicated vascular surgery inbox. To evaluate the impact of the new system, referrals were re-audited between 12/05/23 and 13/07/2023 using the same PRSB criteria.\n Significant improvements were observed in the completeness of referrals, as indicated by the percentage of fulfilled PRSB criteria: patient demographics (60% vs. 100%), referrer details (51% vs. 100%), reason for referral (93% vs. 100%), relevant clinical risk factors (60% vs. 95%), medication history (60% vs. 100%), family history (40% vs. 84%), social history (47% vs. 93%), patient ideas concerns and expectations (40% vs. 81%), examination findings (60% vs. 93%), and investigation findings (63% vs. 91%). The median number of fulfilled criteria per referral increased from 2.5 to 9 (out of 10), demonstrating a substantial improvement (p < 0.0001).\n Our dedicated vascular surgery referrals proforma had a significant positive impact on the completeness of referrals to the department. This change has the potential to enhance continuity of care, improve clinical prioritisation, promote patient safety, and enhance the overall efficiency of our service.","PeriodicalId":136,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Surgery","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":8.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"British Journal of Surgery","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1093/bjs/znae163.031","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"SURGERY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This quality improvement project aimed to improve the completeness of referrals to vascular surgery from in-patient wards and the Sameday Emergency Care unit at a UK district general hospital. We implemented a comprehensive vascular surgery proforma to enhance the quality of referrals to the department.
Referrals made between 01/01/23 and 01/03/23 were assessed according to Professional Record Standards Body (PRSB) guidelines, which outlines the necessary information to be included in clinical referrals. The new proforma was introduced to all hospital clinicians, enabling them to email completed referrals to a dedicated vascular surgery inbox. To evaluate the impact of the new system, referrals were re-audited between 12/05/23 and 13/07/2023 using the same PRSB criteria.
Significant improvements were observed in the completeness of referrals, as indicated by the percentage of fulfilled PRSB criteria: patient demographics (60% vs. 100%), referrer details (51% vs. 100%), reason for referral (93% vs. 100%), relevant clinical risk factors (60% vs. 95%), medication history (60% vs. 100%), family history (40% vs. 84%), social history (47% vs. 93%), patient ideas concerns and expectations (40% vs. 81%), examination findings (60% vs. 93%), and investigation findings (63% vs. 91%). The median number of fulfilled criteria per referral increased from 2.5 to 9 (out of 10), demonstrating a substantial improvement (p < 0.0001).
Our dedicated vascular surgery referrals proforma had a significant positive impact on the completeness of referrals to the department. This change has the potential to enhance continuity of care, improve clinical prioritisation, promote patient safety, and enhance the overall efficiency of our service.
期刊介绍:
The British Journal of Surgery (BJS), incorporating the European Journal of Surgery, stands as Europe's leading peer-reviewed surgical journal. It serves as an invaluable platform for presenting high-quality clinical and laboratory-based research across a wide range of surgical topics. In addition to providing a comprehensive coverage of traditional surgical practices, BJS also showcases emerging areas in the field, such as minimally invasive therapy and interventional radiology.
While the journal appeals to general surgeons, it also holds relevance for specialty surgeons and professionals working in closely related fields. By presenting cutting-edge research and advancements, BJS aims to revolutionize the way surgical knowledge is shared and contribute to the ongoing progress of the surgical community.