Reasons for non-urgent referral to a hospital diabetic clinic and the potential unmet need
✍ Scribed by Connor, H ;Collins, RJ
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1999
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 314 KB
- Volume
- 16
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1357-8170
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Abstract
In a survey of 56 consecutive, non‐urgent referrals to a hospital diabetic clinic, the majority (57%) were because of unsatisfactory glycaemic control. Non‐urgent referrals of patients with ‘at‐risk’ feet (n = 6) were fewer than urgent referrals or admissions for acute foot problems (n = 11). There were very few referrals for proteinuria (n = 1) or dyslipidaemia, and none for inadequately controlled hypertension. There were only two (3.6%) referrals which were considered inappropriate. Extrapolation from these results, and those of a simultaneous district audit of diabetes care, indicates a considerable unmet need for referral for specialist care which, if implemented, would result in a three‐fold increase in non‐urgent referrals.