| Autor: |
O'Callaghan, Michael Edmund, Fawsitt, Ronan, Gao, Jiaran, Broughan, John, McCombe, Geoff, Phelan, Amy, Quinlan, Diarmuid, Collins, Claire, Stanley, Fintan, Cullen, Walter |
| Zdroj: |
Irish Journal of Medical Science; Feb2024, Vol. 193 Issue 1, p425-434, 10p |
| Abstrakt: |
Background: Since winter 2020/21, general practitioners (GPs) in the Republic of Ireland (RoI) have been granted access to diagnostic imaging studies on a new publicly funded pathway, expediting access to services previously obtained via hospital-based doctors. Aims: Outline GP perspectives on imaging studies obtained via the new "GP Access to Community Diagnostics" initiative. Methods: A mixed-methods design was employed. Referrals over the first six months of 2019 and 2021 were collated by a private imaging provider, and a randomly selected subset of 2021 studies (maximum 30 referrals per GP) was returned to participating GPs to provide detail on the impact on each patient's care. In-depth qualitative interviews were also conducted with participating GPs. Results: Eleven GPs supplied detailed information on 81 studies organized through the new initiative. GPs reported that the initiative had led to a large proportion of cases being managed solely in general practice, with an 81% reduction in referrals to acute hospital settings and a 58% reduction in referrals to secondary care clinics. GPs felt imaging studies improved patient care in 86% of cases and increased GP workload in 58% of cases. GP qualitative interviews revealed four key themes: improved patient care, increased GP workload, reduction in hospital referrals, and opinions on ongoing management of such initiatives, including guidelines. Conclusions: GPs felt enhancing access to diagnostics improved patient care by expediting diagnosis, decision-making, and treatment and by reducing hospital referrals. GPs were generally positive about the initiative and made some suggestions on future management of the initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Databáze: |
Complementary Index |
| Externí odkaz: |
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