Year 2008 / Volume 100 / Number 1
Original
A high-resolution gastroenterology clinic in Andalusia:What is it, and how should it work?

pp. 5-10

Herrerías gutiérrez, J. M. / Argüelles Arias, F. / Martín Herrera, L. / Montero Domínguez, J. M. / de Dios Vega, J. / Martín-Vivaldi Martínez, R. / Domínguez Macías, A. / Maldonado Eloy-García, J. / Sánchez Cantos, A. M. / Romero Gómez,

Abstract
Introduction: the present concept in our healthcare system is that medical care should be given on an outpatient basis with hospitalization
occurring only when essential. We therefore put forth the development of the “all in one” outpatient office or “high resolution” outpatient clinic. For such purpose we administered a questionnaire to various Andalusian hospitals to define and determine those aspects necessary in the development of the aforementioned outpatient office.

Materials and methods: the questionnaire was filled out by 10 Andalusian hospitals. This is a prospective-descriptive study of responses from all 10 participating hospitals. The 27 questions inquired on the existence of such an outpatient office and the infrastructure needed to develop this service: How many patients are seen, where is it physically located, where do patients come from, criteria for assigning patients to this medical office, condition of incoming patients, whether ultrasound scans are performed, whether an integrated hospital computer system exists, nursing staff, how many visits are required before coming to a diagnosis, and finally whether this type of outpatient office is needed, and if so, why.

Results: of all 10 hospitals, 5 of them had this type of clinic. All of them considered this type of outpatient service essential. The number of patients treated should be “10”, in the hospital itself. There are differences as to whether patients should come
from the emergency room or a primary care physician. It seems logical to assume that only patients who can be diagnosed via ultrasounds
or endoscopy should be chosen. To allow an ultrasonogram the patient should visit the outpatient office in a state of “fasting” and with standard blood counts from the primary care
physician. The outpatient clinic should have a computer system and its own nurse. According to participating hospitals this type of outpatient
visits is very useful in our present healthcare system, as it allows higher levels of collaboration between Primary Care and the specialist; it also provides a rapid orientation regarding patient
pathology, and acts as a “filter” for the rest of the healthcare system.
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Herrerías gutiérrez, J. M. / Argüelles Arias, F. / Martín Herrera, L. / Montero Domínguez, J. M. / de Dios Vega, J. / Martín-Vivaldi Martínez, R. / Domínguez Macías, A. / Maldonado Eloy-García, J. / Sánchez Cantos, A. M. / Romero Gómez, . A high-resolution gastroenterology clinic in Andalusia:What is it, and how should it work?. 5-10


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The Spanish Journal of Gastroenterology is the official organ of the Sociedad Española de Patología Digestiva, the Sociedad Española de Endoscopia Digestiva and the Asociación Española de Ecografía Digestiva
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