[Internal medicine at a health center. Experience evaluation]

GROUND: The current situation of internal medicine is evolving to alternative asistential plans related to traditional hospital attention. We present in this article the resulte obtained in an experience conducted to share the assistential task with a primary care center which is located in our Health Area.

During the period of time between 11-15-93 and 06-30-94 it was prospectively analyzed all the outpatients studied by an internist of the Department of Internal Medicine of the Albacete General Hospital in the Primary Care Center of Almansa. After a definitive diagnosis the following parameters were evaluated: age, sex, type of consult, first and second diagnosis and follow-up. Data of the evaluation according to the request new consults and waiting list patients was taken.

The total consults analyzed were 1,651 (578 first visits and 1,073 second visits). Definitive diagnosis were obtained in 752 patients during this time (342 males and 406 females). The average age was 55.56 +/- 0.72 years and the number of diagnosis 1.7 +/- 0.32. The weekly request of new consults decreased from 25.7 to 12.25. Number of patients in waiting list decreased from 94 to 37.

Approach between Internal Medicine and Primary Care is a feasible plan useful for both and for the assistential quality in the Primary Care Centers.