Robert McGrath, Edward Ahern, Mark James, Zubair Idrees, Eamonn O'Connell
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Ophthalmology consultation on inpatients is often important to optimise eye care and provide information for referring teams. Inpatient consultation may constitute a not-insignificant workload however. This study reports on the nature and necessity of ophthalmology inpatient consults in a large Irish hospital.
Methods: Retrospective analysis of all consecutive ophthalmology inpatient consultations over a 12-month period.
Results: In total, 359 consult requests were received primarily from adult medicine (57.9%), surgery (22%) and paediatric teams (18.4%). The most common reasons for referral were loss of vision (23.7%); visual field testing (15%); diplopia or abnormal eye movements (11.4%); and screening for ocular features of systemic disease (10.6%). Presumptive diagnoses by referring teams were correct in 29.5% of cases. The majority had normal eye examinations (53.2%) or non-sight-threatening features (16.8%), while a minority had acute eye pathology (30%). Most patients (80.4%) required no intervention. A minority required medical (12.5%), orthoptic (4.6%) or surgical (2.4%) intervention. The majority of patients (81%) were fit for transfer to the eye clinic and did not require bedside examination.
Conclusions: Our study found a high proportion of ophthalmology inpatient consultations had normal eye exams and required no intervention. The quality of referrals was variable suggesting that clearer guidelines and more ophthalmology education is needed for referring teams.
期刊介绍:
Eye seeks to provide the international practising ophthalmologist with high quality articles, of academic rigour, on the latest global clinical and laboratory based research. Its core aim is to advance the science and practice of ophthalmology with the latest clinical- and scientific-based research. Whilst principally aimed at the practising clinician, the journal contains material of interest to a wider readership including optometrists, orthoptists, other health care professionals and research workers in all aspects of the field of visual science worldwide. Eye is the official journal of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists.
Eye encourages the submission of original articles covering all aspects of ophthalmology including: external eye disease; oculo-plastic surgery; orbital and lacrimal disease; ocular surface and corneal disorders; paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus; glaucoma; medical and surgical retina; neuro-ophthalmology; cataract and refractive surgery; ocular oncology; ophthalmic pathology; ophthalmic genetics.