Cost-effectiveness of ultrasound use by on-call registrars in an acute gynaecology setting

Abstract

Ultrasound, and in particular transvaginal sonography (TVS), plays an important role in the management of women with acute gynaecology conditions. This study compared the cost-effectiveness of two models of out-of-hours care for women in an acute gynaecology setting. In the ultrasound-based model, the on-call registrar with ultrasound experience managed such patients after performing pelvic ultrasound as a part of the initial assessment. On the other hand, in the traditional model of care the on-call registrar managed the patients without the use of ultrasound. The conclusion is that the use of ultrasound by the on-call registrars has significant cost implications through reduced hospital admissions. It leads to improved outcomes of such patients through timely diagnosis and treatment.

Keywords::

• Acute gynaecology
• cost-effectiveness
• one-stop
• ultrasound

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr J. J. Jones for his help with statistical analysis.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.