Impact of Acute Surgical Assessment Unit Dedicated Ultrasound Access at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background Delayed diagnosis, unnecessary hospital admissions and extended length of stay are the problems associated with inappropriate access to radiological investigations. The acute surgical assessment unit (ASAU) in Limerick has two dedicated ultrasound scan (USS) slots daily to overcome this problem. The aim of the current study was to investigate the clinical impact on patient care and the cost-effectiveness of such an ASAU USS access. Methods A retrospective review of all patients who underwent USS investigation in the ASAU between May and September 2017 was conducted. Demographic, referral source, presenting complaint, and clinical outcome data were obtained from the ASAU Log. USS data was obtained from the National Integrated Medical System (NIMIS). The Integrated Patient Management System (IPMS) and Therefore Case Manager, Therefore 2014(12.0.2) was utilized to check for any discharged ASAU patient re-presenting to the emergency department (ED) within 30 days. Results A total of 102 patients underwent USS investigation during the study period. The most common presenting complaint was epigastric or right upper quadrant pain (55.8%). Eighty-six patients underwent USS on the same day and the majority (51%) were discharged home with appropriate outpatient follow-up. Approximately 26,000 Euros were saved over four months. Post-discharge ED visits in the ASAU discharged group was zero in the 30 days. Conclusion The ASAU USS dedicated slots in University Hospital Limerick has had a significant positive impact on patient diagnostics, surgical admissions rates and streamlining resource allocation. Having dedicated slots for radiological investigations in the ASAU should become standard of care across all healthcare jurisdictions.