[Rapid diagnosis unit in a third level hospital. Descriptive study of the first year and a half]

We show a descriptive study of a Rapid Diagnosis Unit as an alternative of the traditional hospital admission.

An Internist, a Radiologist and a Nurse have constituted Rapid Diagnosis Unit. A retrospective and descriptive study of 1132 patients visited in the first and a half- year is described.

1132 patients have been attended, 71% coming from Emergency Department and 26% from Primary Health Care. Mean stay was 9 days. Anaemia, wasting syndrome and lymph nodes enlargement were the most likely complaints. The outcome of these patients was diverse: 38% have been discharged, 52% carried on as outpatients in our hospital and 10% required hospitalization. In 199 patients (18%) cancer was diagnosed. Colon, lymphoma and lung cancer were the most common malignant disorders involved. About 4,5 beds per day have been saved from the Internal Medicine Department.

Rapid Diagnosis Unit is an efficient alternative to conventional hospital admissions for patients in study of potential and serious disorders allowing an out-patient management.