Consultation Intervention Rates for the Otolaryngology Service: A Large Metropolitan Hospital Experience

CONTEXT: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the types of consultations received by an otolaryngology service at a 772-bed large metropolitan, MI-based hospital. METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective review of the specific types of consultations received during calendar year 2016. RESULTS: A total of 518 consultations were reviewed and analyzed by the first and second authors (MM, CB). Consultations with low intervention rates included dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) (32.3%), dysphonia (difficulty speaking) (16%), otalgia (earache) (20.8%), hearing loss (13.3%), rule out vocal cord dysfunction (0%), and vertigo/dizziness (0%). Epistaxis (nosebleed) was the most frequent reason for consultations, and angioedema (lip or airway swelling) was the most common airway-related consultation. Notably, emergent or urgent surgery was only performed on 4.6% of sample patients. Several common consultation reasons (e.g., longer-term hearing loss evaluation and cerumen (“earwax”) removal) could have been deferred for clinic-based evaluation where audiograms and microscopes are more readily available. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest areas for continuing education for primary care provider and resident education to place more appropriate hospital consultations. Annual resident lectures to prepare junior residents for the most common call scenarios (i.e., control epistaxis and incision and drainage of peritonsillar abscesses) could be helpful in this area. In addition, didactic lectures for primary care physicians on how to evaluate patients with dysphagia may be of value as this was a common consult for otolaryngologist referrals.