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Tonsillectomy: assessment of quality by consultation rate after discharge

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Jeanne A. Rungby*
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, County Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark.
Frans Rømeling
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, County Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark.
Peter Borum
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, County Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark.
*
Address for correspondence: Jeanne A. Rungby, Skovbovænget 100, Hareskovby, DK-3500 Værløse, Denmark. Fax: +45 4444 0772 e-mail: j-a-rungby-lpk@vip.cybercity.dk.

Abstract

The aim of this prospective study was to establish a measure of short-term quality of treatment after tonsillectomy/adenotonsillectomy. One hundred and thirty-four questionnaires, returned after 14 days, from 41 children and 93 adults were analysed. Forty-seven per cent had one or more consultations with health-care professionals. Eighty-three consultations by telephone and 33 consultations in person were made. Two recent studies reported higher consultation rates in person to doctors compared to this study. The predominant reason for consulting health-care professionals was pain. Maximum pain scores were significantly higher among those with consultations vs. no consultations (p = 0.0001). Additionally, the intensity as well as the duration of maximal pain increased with the number of contacts per patient (p = 0.0001, p = 0.0045). Sixty-four per cent felt relieved after consultation by telephone and 83 per cent felt relieved after consultation in person. The present study suggests consultation rate as a parameter of quality of treatment and quality of information.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1999

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