Upper-respiratory tract complaint protocol for physician-extenders.

Area of Science:

• Internal Medicine
• Primary Care
• Clinical Protocol Development

Background:

• Upper respiratory infections (URIs) are common outpatient complaints.
• Efficient management of URI is crucial for healthcare resource optimization.
• Physician extenders can play a role in managing common infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel protocol for managing upper-respiratory tract complaints.
• To assess the safety and efficiency of a physician-extender-led protocol for URI.
• To determine the reliability of a decision-making algorithm for URI management.

Main Methods:

• A protocol was administered to 226 patients with URI complaints in a walk-in clinic.
• A decision-making algorithm guided physician extenders in patient management.
• Patients were subsequently seen by a physician for final assessment.

Main Results:

• 42% of patients would have been managed by the protocol without physician referral, with no resulting complications.
• 7% of patients had serious complications and required physician referral.
• The protocol demonstrated safety and efficiency in managing URI.

Conclusions:

• The developed protocol is a safe and efficient approach for physician-extender management of URI.
• The protocol reliably differentiates patients requiring physician referral from those suitable for direct management.
• This approach enhances the efficiency of walk-in clinics for URI complaints.