Changing Paradigm for Vertigo/Dizziness Patients: a Retrospective Before-After Study from Tertiary Hospitals in Northwestern China.

BACKGROUND

Single disciplinary management of patients with vertigo and dizziness is an important challenge for most physicians in China.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of a new paradigm of practice (Clinic for Vertigo and Dizziness, CVD) performed by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) on diagnostic spectrum, medical costs, and patient satisfaction.

DESIGN

Retrospective before-after study.

PARTICIPANTS

Sample of 29,793 patients with vertigo/dizziness as primary complaint.

MEASURES

Changes in diagnostic spectrum, medical costs, and patient satisfaction before and after the establishment of a CVD based on a 4-year database in three tertiary hospitals in northwestern China.

KEY RESULTS

The most common diagnoses of patients with vertigo and dizziness were Meniere's disease (25.77%), cervical disease (25.00%), cerebral vascular disease (13.96%), vestibular syndrome (10.57%), and other etiologies (6.34%) before the CVD establishment. In contrast, after the CVD establishment, the most common diagnoses were BPPV (23.92%), vestibular migraine (15.83%), Meniere's disease (14.22%), CSD/PPPD (11.61%), and cerebral vascular diseases (4.45%). Extended implementation of a structured questionnaire for vertigo/dizziness and vestibular-oriented examinations (nystagmus, positional tests, HINTS) at the CVD resulted in a remarkable decline in the utility of CT/MRI and X-ray examination (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, medical costs in patients with vertigo/dizziness dropped by 11.5% (p < 0.001), with a significant improvement in patient satisfaction after the establishment of CVD (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Our study suggested that the MDT paradigm of CVD practice may facilitate the medical management of patients with vertigo/dizziness and improve patient satisfaction.