Email this article 
Original Research
An audit of clinical problems and activities during consultations
South African Family Practice | Vol 19, No 2 | a2222 |
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/safp.v19i2.2222
| ©
Submitted: 07 November 2011 | Published: 12 February 1998
Submitted: 07 November 2011 | Published: 12 February 1998
About the author(s)
R.J.E. Erasmus, University of Pretoria, South AfricaFull Text:
PDF (1MB)Abstract
Objective: To audit the clinical problems and consultation activities in an urban primary care facility.
Design: A cross-sectional prospective descriptive study.
Setting: The out-patient divisions of the Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, at HF Verwoerd Hospital in Pretoria.
Method: Data on patient profiles, presenting problems, special investigations, referrals and duration of the consultations were gathered by the participating doctors for a period of 19 weeks.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 46,1 years. 9 559 consultations, during which 17 096 problems were attended to, were recorded. The mean duration per consultation was twelve minutes, blood tests were performed on 5,4% of the patients and l0% underwent radiological investigations. The referral rate to specialist departments was 75,2%.
Conclusions: The results provide a base from which future planning and management of the service in the Department can be improved, trends determined and the quality for both patients and personnel improved.
Design: A cross-sectional prospective descriptive study.
Setting: The out-patient divisions of the Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, at HF Verwoerd Hospital in Pretoria.
Method: Data on patient profiles, presenting problems, special investigations, referrals and duration of the consultations were gathered by the participating doctors for a period of 19 weeks.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 46,1 years. 9 559 consultations, during which 17 096 problems were attended to, were recorded. The mean duration per consultation was twelve minutes, blood tests were performed on 5,4% of the patients and l0% underwent radiological investigations. The referral rate to specialist departments was 75,2%.
Conclusions: The results provide a base from which future planning and management of the service in the Department can be improved, trends determined and the quality for both patients and personnel improved.
Keywords
clinical problems; consultations
Metrics
Total abstract views: 1571Total article views: 1916