Outreach surgical consulting services in North East Victoria. (December 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chittleborough, Timothy John; Lourensz, Kaleb; Elliott, Matthew; Thomas, Peter; Franzi, Stephen
• Is Part Of: Australian journal of rural health. Volume 21:Number 6(2013:Dec.)
• Page Start: 325
• Page End: 328
• Publication Date: 2013-12
• Subjects: Rural health -- Periodicals; Rural health -- Australia -- Periodicals; 613
• DOI: 10.1111/ajr.12065
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1038-5282

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="ajr12065-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>There is a paucity of data regarding the provision of consultative outreach specialist surgical services to rural areas. This paper aims to describe a model of outreach consultative practice to deliver specialist surgical services to rural communities.</p> </sec> <sec id="ajr12065-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Design</title> <p>Analysis of prospectively collected data for consultations in a three month period for two surgeons based in Wangaratta.</p> </sec> <sec id="ajr12065-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Setting</title> <p>Two surgeons in regional Victoria based in Wangaratta, North East Victoria, conducting outreach consultations to Beechworth, Benalla, Bright and Mansfield.</p> </sec> <sec id="ajr12065-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Participants</title> <p>All patients seen in consultations over a 3‐month period.</p> </sec> <sec id="ajr12065-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Main outcome measures</title> <p>Patient workload, casemix of presenting complaint, consultation outcome including plan for surgical procedure.</p> </sec> <sec id="ajr12065-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Outreach surgical consulting was associated with a higher proportion of new consultations, and there was trend towards being more likely to result in a surgical procedure than consultations in the base rural centre.</p> </sec> <sec id="ajr12065-sec-0007" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Outreach surgical consulting provides surgeons with a larger referral base and provides communities with better access to local specialists. Outreach practice should be encouraged for surgeons in regional centres.</p> </sec> </abstract>