Papadopoulos Nikolaos, Prokopakis Emmanuel P, Karatzanis Alexander D, Linardakis Manolis, Mourellou Evangelia, Symvoulakis Emmanouil K
Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Voutes, 71003 Heraklion, Greece.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece.
Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Jul 5;11(13):1943. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11131943.
Primary healthcare is the pillar of a well-functioning healthcare system. General practitioners (GPs) should have a broad skillset to cope with the various conditions they encounter in everyday practice. Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) cases are some of the most common reasons for seeking care. The study aimed to define the frequency and type of ENT disorders seen in the emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Greece. All patients examined by an ENT specialist in the emergency department setting, within a year, were recorded, as well as all referrals from private practice or primary care facilities. From September to December 2021, data were collected from patients who agreed to complete a two-minute survey, namely, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-2) questionnaire. During the study year, 4542 cases were documented, from which the most common conditions listed were external otitis (6.9%/314), epistaxis (6.7%/305), and impacted earwax (5.7%/261). The diagnoses that led to hospitalization were 336 and the most common were peritonsillar abscess (16.4%/55), epistaxis (8.0%/27), and facial nerve paralysis (7.4%/25). Referrals from GPs working in the public sector represented more than the half of the total. There was a significant correlation between an increased number of hospital visits and an increased GAD-2 score, in the semester before the current visit ( < 0.001). Referrals to ENT specialists represent around 5% of all cases examined, and about 8% of all visits required hospitalization. Interdisciplinary clinical and research investment into GP training is compulsory to regulate ENT referrals by GPs.
初级医疗保健是运转良好的医疗保健系统的支柱。全科医生应具备广泛的技能，以应对日常诊疗中遇到的各种病症。耳鼻喉科病例是寻求医疗护理的一些最常见原因。该研究旨在确定希腊一家三级医院急诊科所见耳鼻喉疾病的频率和类型。记录了一年内急诊科由耳鼻喉科专家检查的所有患者，以及来自私人诊所或初级保健机构的所有转诊病例。2021年9月至12月，收集了同意完成一份两分钟调查问卷（即广泛性焦虑症量表（GAD - 2）问卷）的患者的数据。在研究年度，记录了4542例病例，其中列出的最常见病症为外耳道炎（6.9%/314例）、鼻出血（6.7%/305例）和耵聍栓塞（5.7%/261例）。导致住院的诊断有336例，最常见的是扁桃体周脓肿（16.4%/55例）、鼻出血（8.0%/27例）和面神经麻痹（7.4%/25例）。来自公共部门的全科医生的转诊病例占总数的一半以上。在本次就诊前的学期中，就诊次数增加与GAD - 2评分增加之间存在显著相关性（<0.001）。转诊至耳鼻喉科专家的病例约占所有检查病例的5%，所有就诊病例中约8%需要住院治疗。对全科医生培训进行跨学科临床和研究投资对于规范全科医生的耳鼻喉科转诊是必不可少的。
