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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Triage in a public outpatient sexual health clinic

Vickie Knight A C and Anna McNulty A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Sydney Sexual Health Centre, PO Box 1614, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia.

B School of Population Health and Community Medicine, University of NSW, Kensington, NSW 2033, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: vickie.knight@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au

Sexual Health 3(2) 87-90 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH05046
Submitted: 21 September 2005  Accepted: 6 January 2006   Published: 26 May 2006

Abstract

Background:The increasing prevalence of sexually transmissible infections in Australia, coupled with a NSW Health Department requirement to target services to those most in need, has led many services to investigate patient triage as a way of better using scarce resources.2 In October 1997, a Triage Nurse position was trialled that aimed to facilitate the optimal flow of patients through the Sydney Sexual Health Centre (SSHC) clinic in an efficient and patient-focussed manner. A pre and post implementation time-flow study was conducted to analyse the effect. A staff survey was also completed to ascertain staff acceptance of the Nurse Triage system. Methods:A time-flow data survey tool was developed and placed in the medical record of every person attending the SSHC in one month in 1997 and again in 1999. The staff survey was an 11-item likert scale questionnaire administered to all centre staff. Data were analysed and average visit and waiting times were generated. Results:When comparing 1997 with 1999 data, the main results of note were that the length of consultation had been stable or decreased, the average wait time had remained stable or decreased and the wait time in the medical and nursing unbooked clinic had decreased. The average wait time for the unbooked clinic had decreased from ~24 minutes in 1997 to ~12 minutes in 1999. Conclusions:Since the introduction of Nurse Triage, the average overall waiting times for those who attend without an appointment has halved and the wait to see a doctor and a nurse has decreased. The majority of staff felt that the triage process had improved patient flow.

Additional keywords: access, appointments, genitourinary medicine, quality improvement, sexually transmitted infections.


Acknowledgement

Thanks to Darren Nicholls, who coordinated the time-flow quality assurance projects.


References


[1] Department of Health and Ageing. National Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy 2005–2008. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia; 2005.

[2] NSW Department of Health. NSW Transmitted Infections Strategy, 2006–2009. Sydney; 2006.

[3] Miller BF , Keane CB . Encyclopedia and dictionary of medicine, nursing and allied health. 4th edn. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders Company; 1987.

[4] Handy P,  Pattman R. Triage Up Front. Sex TransmInfect 2005; 81 59–62.
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[5] Tideman RL,  Pitts MK,  Fairley CK. Effects of a change from an appointment service to a walk-in triage service at a sexual health centre. Int J STD AIDS 2003; 14(12): 793–5.
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[6] Harindra V,  Tobin JM,  Tucker LJ. Triage clinics: a way forward in genitourinary medicine. Int J STD AIDS 2001; 12 295–8.
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[7] Sydney Sexual Health Centre. Unpublished Quality Activity Report. December 1997.

[8] Lennon J. What do patients think about nurse triage? J Pract Nurse 2000; 19(2): 56–61.