Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29595437›Full record

ArticleHealthcare policy = Politiques de sante2018

Understanding Patient Referral Wait Times for Specialty Care in Ontario: A Retrospective Chart Audit.

Clare Liddy, Nikhat Nawar, Isabella Moroz, Shelagh Mcrae, Christopher Russell, Ariana Mihan, Fanny Mckellips, Derek McLellan, Lois Crowe, Amir Afkham and 1 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Healthcare policy = Politiques de sante, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
14citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

14 citing papers in PubMed.

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  10. Transforming the specialist referral and consultation process in Canada.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2019
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Clare LiddyClinician Investigator, C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON.
Nikhat NawarMedical Student, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON.
Isabella MorozResearch Associate, C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON.
Shelagh McraeFamily Practitioner, Gore Bay, ON.
Christopher RussellMedical Student, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON.
Ariana MihanBSc Candidate, Research Assistant, C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON.
Fanny MckellipsResearch Assistant, C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON.
Derek McLellanFamily Medicine Resident, Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON.
Lois CroweResearch Manager, C.T. Lamont Primary Health Care Research Centre, Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON.
Amir AfkhamSenior Project Manager - Enabling Technologies, The Champlain Local Health Integration Network, Ottawa, ON.
Erin KeelyChief, Division of Endocrinology/Metabolism, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

contextWhen examining wait times for specialist care, the duration between a patient's referral and specialist visit (wait time one) is poorly understood.

objectivesTo calculate wait time one in primary care clinics across Ontario using chart audit.

methodsWe conducted a retrospective chart audit at five Ontario-based primary care clinics in 2014-2015.

resultsWe analyzed 461 referrals. Median wait time one for non-urgent and urgent referrals was 79 and 49 days, respectively. Gastroenterology, obstetrics/gynecology, and ear, nose and throat received the most referrals. Wait times were longest for dermatology (112 days) and shortest for general surgery (32 days).

conclusionWait times vary substantially by referral urgency and specialty type in Ontario. Calculating wait time from primary care clinics directly offers new perspectives on wait time one and enables clinics to target improvement efforts to best meet patient needs. Our findings will be relevant to providers and policy makers interested in implementing strategies to reduce wait times.

Indexed as

Referral and ConsultationSpecializationWaiting ListsAdolescentAdultAgedChildChild, PreschoolFeasibility StudiesFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMaleMedical AuditMiddle Aged

Identifiers

PMID29595437
PMCPMC5863870

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.