Providing a quality service: direct referral from the cytology laboratory to the colposcopy clinic

Abstract

Objectives: To compare the time taken for the referral process and the accuracy of referrals before and after a process review and the introduction of a system of direct referral from the cytology laboratory to the colposcopy clinic.

Setting: The colposcopy service in a large teaching hospital in Teesside.

Methods: Data on time points within the referral process and smear histories were collected. Data on time points were obtained retrospectively from the case-notes from before the new system of referral ('pre' group) and from an electronic database after the changes ('post' group). Smear histories were retrieved from the cytology database.

Results: The overall time that patients waited from the time the smear was taken until the time they were seen in the colposcopy clinic was significantly reduced. The median time between smear and colposcopy decreased from 92.5 days (range 35-254 days) in the 'pre' group to 33 days (range 13-43 days) in the 'post' group (P=0.0001). The median time taken from the smear report being issued until the report arrived in the colposcopy clinic was 14 days (range 4-123 days) in the 'pre' group, compared with two days (range 0-17 days) in the 'post' group (P=0.0001). There was a significant reduction in the number of inaccurate referrals in the 'post' group compared with the 'pre' group (P=0.02).

Conclusions: Direct referral significantly reduces the time patients wait for colposcopy appointments and improves the accuracy of referrals.