The Prince Edward Island way - does it work?

Area of Science:

• Primary Care
• Nursing Practice
• Healthcare Delivery

Background:

• Many family physicians utilize office nurses for initial patient assessments, with varying standards of care.
• The effectiveness and value of nurse-led assessments in primary care settings remain largely unevaluated.
• Public concern regarding healthcare costs necessitates critical evaluation of healthcare delivery models.

Approach:

• A pilot study evaluated a collaborative doctor-nurse team, assessing diagnostic accuracy and 'value added' by nurses.
• 100 consecutive nurse assessments were audited for diagnostic concordance with physician findings.
• Patient files were reviewed after six months to identify any missed diagnoses and assess additional care provided by nurses, such as screening and counseling.

Key Points:

• The study aims to audit the diagnostic accuracy and 'value added' of skilled nurse assessments.
• Nurse assessments included vital signs, histories, physical exams, screening advice, counseling, and self-management education.
• A pilot study demonstrated a 50% increase in patient capacity and improved care quality with a collaborative team.

Conclusions:

• Preliminary findings from a pilot study indicate potential for increased patient throughput and enhanced care quality.
• The audit provides a critical evaluation of nurse-led assessments in primary care.
• Further results are anticipated to offer insights into the effectiveness of this healthcare model.