Şahbal Aras1, Fatma Varol Taş1, Burak Baykara1. 1. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate and describe the three-stage triage method used in a child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic. METHOD: The study investigated the new allocation process of 1482 children and adolescents who were assessed using this triage system for the duration of one year, in the year 2005. Data of 1423 children and adolescents who presented in 2003 regarding the waiting time for the first appointment and the rate of nonattendance at the first appointment were used for the comparison. In triage system, new patients presenting to the outpatient clinic in the morning four days a week were assessed by a three-stage procedure: An initial Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire screening and a structured interview administered by an intern was then followed by a clinical interview. RESULTS: Of the 1482 children and adolescents who presented to the outpatient clinic during the study period, 1291 were given further appointments. Among patients who presented in 2005, the 207 non-attendant patients were significantly more likely to have longer waiting times than the 1084 attendant patients. When compared to year 2003, it was found that there was a significant decrease in the median waiting time for the first appointment and the rate of nonattendance at the first appointment among patients who presented in 2005. CONCLUSION: The triage procedure used in this study may constitute a model for developing countries with limited health care resources.
INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate and describe the three-stage triage method used in a child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic. METHOD: The study investigated the new allocation process of 1482 children and adolescents who were assessed using this triage system for the duration of one year, in the year 2005. Data of 1423 children and adolescents who presented in 2003 regarding the waiting time for the first appointment and the rate of nonattendance at the first appointment were used for the comparison. In triage system, new patients presenting to the outpatient clinic in the morning four days a week were assessed by a three-stage procedure: An initial Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire screening and a structured interview administered by an intern was then followed by a clinical interview. RESULTS: Of the 1482 children and adolescents who presented to the outpatient clinic during the study period, 1291 were given further appointments. Among patients who presented in 2005, the 207 non-attendant patients were significantly more likely to have longer waiting times than the 1084 attendant patients. When compared to year 2003, it was found that there was a significant decrease in the median waiting time for the first appointment and the rate of nonattendance at the first appointment among patients who presented in 2005. CONCLUSION: The triage procedure used in this study may constitute a model for developing countries with limited health care resources.
Entities:
Keywords:
Triage assessment; child and adolescent psychiatry; outpatient
Authors: David Cawthorpe; T Chris R Wilkes; Abdul Rahman; Derryck H Smith; Barbara Conner-Spady; John J McGurran; Tom W Noseworthy Journal: J Can Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2007-02
Authors: Charlotte Waddell; David R Offord; Cody A Shepherd; Josephine M Hua; Kimberley McEwan Journal: Can J Psychiatry Date: 2002-11 Impact factor: 4.356