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Prospective comparison of curbside versus formal consultations
Author(s) -
Burden Marisha,
Sarcone Ellen,
Keniston Angela,
Statland Barbara,
Taub Julie A.,
Allyn Rebecca L.,
Reid Mark B.,
Cervantes Lilia,
Frank Maria G.,
Scaletta Nicholas,
Fung Philip,
Chadaga Smitha R.,
Mastalerz Katarzyna,
Maller Nancy,
Mascolo Margherita,
Zoucha Jeff,
Campbell Jessica,
Maher Mary P.,
Stella Sarah A.,
Albert Richard K.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of hospital medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.128
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1553-5606
pISSN - 1553-5592
DOI - 10.1002/jhm.1983
Subject(s) - medicine , family medicine , hospital medicine , prospective cohort study , medline , emergency medicine , medical emergency , political science , law
BACKGROUND: Curbside consultations are commonly requested during the care of hospitalized patients, but physicians perceive that the recommendations provided may be based on inaccurate or incomplete information. OBJECTIVE: To compare the accuracy and completeness of the information received from providers requesting a curbside consultation of hospitalists with that obtained in a formal consultation on the same patients, and to examine whether the recommendations offered in the 2 consultations differed. DESIGN: Prospective cohort. SETTING: University‐affiliated, urban safety net hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportion of curbside consultations with inaccurate or incomplete information; frequency with which recommendations in the formal consultation differed from those in the curbside consultation. RESULTS: Curbside consultations were requested for 50 patients, 47 of which were also evaluated in a formal consultation performed on the same day by a hospitalist other than the one performing the curbside consultation. Based on information collected in the formal consultation, information was either inaccurate or incomplete in 24/47 (51%) of the curbside consultations. Management advice after formal consultation differed from that given in the curbside consultation for 28/47 patients (60%). When inaccurate or incomplete information was received, the advice provided in the formal versus the curbside consultation differed in 22/24 patients (92%, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Information presented during inpatient curbside consultations of hospitalists is often inaccurate or incomplete, and this often results in inaccurate management advice. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013. © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine