Benefits of implementing a rapid access clinic in a high-volume inflammatory bowel disease center: Access, resource utilization and outcomes
Sofia Nene, Lóránt Gönczi, Zsuzsanna Kürti, Isabelle Morin, Kelly Chavez, Christine Verdon, Jason Reinglas, Rita Kohen, Talat Bessissow, Waqqas Afif, Gary Wild, Ernest G. Seidman, Alain Bitton, Péter L. Lakatos
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Emergency situations in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) put significant burden on both the patient and the healthcare system. AIM: To prospectively measure Quality-of-Care indicators and resource utilization after the implementation of the new rapid access clinic service (RAC) at a tertiary IBD center. METHODS: Patient access, resource utilization and outcome parameters were collected from consecutive patients contacting the RAC between July 2017 and March 2019 in this observational study. For comparing resource utilization and healthcare costs, emergency department (ED) visits of IBD patients with no access to RAC services were evaluated between January 2018 and January 2019. Time to appointment, diagnostic methods, change in medical therapy, unplanned ED visits, hospitalizations and surgical admissions were calculated and compared. RESULTS: $1885 CAD comparing all RAC and ED visits. CONCLUSION: Implementation of a RAC improved patient care by facilitating easier access to IBD specific medical care, optimized resource utilization and helped avoiding ED visits and subsequent hospitalizations.