Optimizing Dizziness Management: Impact of Audiology Triage on Care Efficiency

To evaluate the impact of a vestibular audiology-driven triage system on care efficiency for patients presenting with dizziness.

We conducted a retrospective review of all patients who underwent comprehensive Balance Function Testing (BFT) at the University of Pennsylvania vestibular clinic between September 2019 and June 2023. The new vestibular triage model was implemented in early 2021. Data collection comprised patient demographics, initial audiology diagnoses, referral destinations, final medical diagnoses, and time to specialty visit. Linear regression models were employed to assess temporal trends in referral patterns and wait times.

Three-thousand three hundred and five patients (mean age 55.9 ± 16.5 years; 34.6% male) were included for analysis. Referrals to neurotology significantly decreased over time (p < 0.0001), while neurology referrals significantly increased (p < 0.0001); ENT referrals showed a non-significant decline (p = 0.14). Time from BFT to neurology (p = 0.0012) evaluation significantly decreased over the course of the study period, while neurotology (p = 0.18) and ENT (p = 0.16) wait times showed non-significant downward trends.

Vestibular audiology-driven triage represents a promising approach for managing patients with dizziness, resulting in significant changes to referral patterns and potentially improving the efficiency of specialty resource allocation. Future research should explore patient-centered outcomes to further assess its clinical impact.