Biomaterial Database

Use of the telephone for short-term follow-up. 1977

J Schofferman, and N Diamond, and P A Oill, and L Becker

We have instituted a telephone appointment system (TAS) to follow patients with well-defined relatively minor problems. The patient is asked to call a special phone number at a specified date and time to obtain test results or information. A senior physician reviews each chart beforehand and indicates in lay terms, the information to be given to the patient by the clerk. Initial contact was made with 235 (58%) of the 404 scheduled telephone appointments reviewed during a four-week period. Physician data review time averaged one minute per chart and two full-time clerks were required. Although no improvement in patient compliance was found, significant savings of patient, physician, and nursing time are obvious. Additional advantages include decreased total patient load and the opportunity for senior physicians to assess the quality of care and provide feedback to the emergency department house officers.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010044	Outpatient Clinics, Hospital	Organized services in a hospital which provide medical care on an outpatient basis.	Ambulatory Care Facilities, Hospital,Hospital Outpatient Clinics,Clinic, Hospital Outpatient,Clinics, Hospital Outpatient,Hospital Outpatient Clinic,Outpatient Clinic, Hospital
D002140	California	State bounded on the east by Nevada and Arizona, on the south by Mexico and the Pacific Ocean on the south and west, and on the north by Oregon.
D003266	Continuity of Patient Care	Health care provided on a continuing basis from the initial contact, following the patient through all phases of medical care.	Continuum of Care,Continuity of Care,Care Continuity,Care Continuity, Patient,Care Continuum,Patient Care Continuity
D005500	Follow-Up Studies	Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease.	Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000359	Aftercare	The care and treatment of a convalescent patient, especially that of a patient after surgery.	After Care,After-Treatment,Follow-Up Care,Postabortal Programs,Postabortion,After Treatment,After-Treatments,Care, Follow-Up,Cares, Follow-Up,Follow Up Care,Follow-Up Cares,Postabortal Program,Program, Postabortal,Programs, Postabortal
D001071	Appointments and Schedules	The different methods of scheduling patient visits, appointment systems, individual or group appointments, waiting times, waiting lists for hospitals, walk-in clinics, etc.	Patient Appointments,Patient Schedules,Schedules, Patient,Appointments,Schedules,Appointment,Appointment, Patient,Appointments, Patient,Patient Appointment,Patient Schedule,Schedule,Schedule, Patient,Schedules and Appointments
D013689	Telephone	An instrument for reproducing sounds especially articulate speech at a distance. (Webster, 3rd ed)	Switchboard Service,Service, Switchboard,Services, Switchboard,Switchboard Services,Telephones
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor