Patterns of admissions in an acute medical unit: priorities for service development and education

Authors:
  • HSHull York Medical School
    Hull York Medical School
  • RHRumana Hussain
    Rumana Hussain
  • AMAlasdair Moonie
    Alasdair Moonie
  • DRDonald Richardson
    Donald Richardson
  • WWW. Stephen Waring
    W. Stephen Waring
  • YUYork Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust Acute Medical Unit
    York Teaching Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust Acute Medical Unit
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Abstract
An Acute Medical Unit has recently been established at York Hospital. The present study sought to characterise the case mix of acutely unwell medical patients to allow identification of priorities for ongoing service development and to assess educational opportunities for trainees in the region. Data were collected for 16001 admission episodes between January 2010 and April 2011 inclusive. These allowed characterisation of the case mix, and identified key priorities where clinical pathway do not yet exist, namely heart failure, urinary tract infection, and acute diarrhoea. Good educational opportunities exist for most aspects of the Acute Medicine curriculum; several weaknesses were identified, and trainees might address these by undertaking a specific period of specialty training in endocrinology and neurology.