Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 8, 2026
An Affordable HIV-1 Drug Resistance Monitoring Method for Resource Limited Settings
Published on: March 30, 2014
REFERRAL WAIT TIME AND ILLNESS SEVERITY OF PATIENTS WITH NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES REFERRED TO SPECIALIST CLINICS OF A
O O Kolade1, A M Obimakinde1,2, A E Irabor1
1Department of Family Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Background:
Wait times for healthcare specialists are inevitable due to demand-supply imbalances. However, tailoring wait times to individual patient needs based on illness severity is crucial for equitable care. The relationship between illness severity and referral wait times therefore has significant consequences for patient outcomes and the overall efficiency of the healthcare system.
Objective:
This study assessed the relationship between illness severity and referral wait times among patients with Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) referred to selected specialist clinics in a tertiary healthcare centre in South-West Nigeria.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study of 310 adult patients with NCDs referred from the General Outpatient (GOP) clinic of the Department of Family Medicine to the Medical, Surgical and Psychiatry specialty outpatient clinics was conducted. Illness severity was assessed using the Duke Severity of Illness (DUSOI)/WONCA Checklist, and wait times were obtained through followup phone calls. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 28.
Results:
The median wait time was 27 days, and about half of the patients had intermediate illness severity levels. The relationship between illness severity and wait times was not statistically significant.
Conclusion:
Referral wait times were not significantly associated with patients' illness severities. This highlights the need for a critical review of referral and triage practices with a multi-pronged approach to improve wait time experiences for patients.
Related Concept Videos
01:11Secondary Healthcare System
01:21Tertiary Healthcare System
01:26Traditional Level Of Health Care System
The preventive healthcare service includes tests for screening. Preventive health care services include identifying and reducing disease risk...
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-I
Daycare centers
They provide several functions. Some facilities care for healthy newborns and children whose parents work, while others are medically focused and care for...
01:20Sputum Studies II: Culture and Sensitivity
Sputum culture and sensitivity is a medical procedure used to diagnose bacterial infections in the respiratory tract and select the most appropriate antibiotics for treatment. This process involves analyzing sputum samples of thick and opaque secretions produced in the lungs and airways. These samples are collected from patients and then sent to the laboratory for analysis.
The test can identify various pathogens responsible for respiratory infections, including Streptococcus,...