Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36622627›Full record

ArticleIrish journal of medical science2023

The cost of rejection: an internal audit of the clinical genetics service active triage pathway at CHI Crumlin, Ireland.

John Coleman, Karl Kavanagh, Sally Ann Lynch, Lisa Bradley

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Article in Irish journal of medical science, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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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

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1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

John ColemanDepartment of Clinical Genetics - Children's Health Ireland Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland. johncoleman1994@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6246-3201
Karl KavanaghDepartment of Clinical Genetics - Children's Health Ireland Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland.
Sally Ann LynchDepartment of Clinical Genetics - Children's Health Ireland Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland.
Lisa BradleyDepartment of Clinical Genetics - Children's Health Ireland Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundClinical genetics is an under-resourced service in the Republic of Ireland. There can be a number of avenues that lead to barriers in patient triage noted within the department.

aimsTo evaluate the reasons for referral rejection in the triage pathway. To identify the time and cost implications.

methodsA retrospective analysis of rejected referrals consecutively triaged by one consultant was undertaken over an 18-month period. Calculation of costs used data from a previous study.

resultsThe consultant rejected 128/1581 (8.3%) of referrals. The rejection reasons included the following: 75% had not included the family/patient genetic report, 10% were conditions not accepted by our service, 8% redirected to other specialities, 3% given written advice in lieu of appointment and 4% for other reasons. Follow-up information was requested on 78% of rejected referrals. For 57% this was received; in 43% no response was received, and these cases remain closed. Median response time was 33 days. Of those who sent back appropriate information, 39% remain on waiting list, 50% attended OPD or were given appropriate advice, 5% did not attend and 4% had alternative follow-up pathways. The estimated time cost of rejected referrals equated to 88.5 h (59 h/year). Using this as our cost of rejection letter, it equated €11,878.4/year departmental cost.

conclusionThe majority of referrals are rejected for non-enclosure of patient genetic reports. Many referrals would have accepted to the waiting list if the appropriate report had been attached. This means patients at risk of genetic disorders are not accessing clinical services because the referrer is not providing the necessary information to allow triage. Active management of the waiting list via upfront letters is costly, with a 57% response rate. Should similar rejection rates exist in other specialities, we estimate this would equate to a cost of €2,714,214.40/year to the HSE.

Indexed as

Delivery of Health CareTriageHumansIrelandReferral and ConsultationRetrospective StudiesClinical geneticsCostIrelandPathwayRejectTriage

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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.