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BACKGROUND: Non-compliance is a common cause of failed medical action, contributing to absence of regular check-ups. Our group has already published studies that analyse the level of non-compliance with appointments amongst patients attending our Allergology clinic, and we have made proposals for improvement. OBJECTIVE: This article evaluates the results obtained three years after setting up and launching telephone reminders for patients' first appointments. METHODS: All patients who were given appointments for first and subsequent visits during 2005 were included. A total of 18215 appointments were studied (3115 first appointments and 15100 subsequent ones). Of these, there were 2479 missed appointments (438 first appointments and 2041 subsequent ones), corresponding to 2215 patients (412 first visits and 1803 subsequent ones), with a mean of 1.12 appointments/patient/year. RESULTS: The non-compliance rate was 13.61%. The most common non-compliers were men (14.11% missed appointments against 13.24% missed appointments in women) and in the age range 20-29 years and 30-39 years (16.46% and 15.28% non-compliance, respectively). The mean age of non-compliers was 34.55 +/- 14.73 years. We observed a significant number of patients who missed more than one appointment (5.12% of all non-compliers and 0.7% of all patients). Differences were found in the degree of non-compliance depending on the type of appointment (14.06% non-compliance with first visits and 13.52% with subsequent visits). We observed a significant increase in missed appointments during the Summer holidays; July and August showed the highest percentage of missed appointments for both the first visit (20.62% in July and 23.59% in August) and subsequent visits alike (16.14% in July and 14.23% in August). CONCLUSIONS: A slight reduction in non-compliance was observed after implementing the proposals made in our previous study. In view of the high costs incurred from missed appointments, the government should finance studies to reduce this problem. The causes of non-compliance may be difficult to control, including present access to the public health service. We must be alert to and/or take preventive measures in young patients and cases of previous non-compliance. The degree of non-compliance is a quality indicator, because it reduces the yield of appointments, and it evidences a lack of cohesion of patients with Primary Health Care Units for first appointments, and with Specialist Care Units for subsequent appointments. Once certain levels of attendance have been attained, it is difficult to achieve an effect on this point in order to improve attendance rates.

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Background: Non-compliance is a common cause of failed medical action, contributing to absence of regular check-ups. Our group has already published studies that analyse the level of non-compliance with appointments amongst patients attending our Allergology clinic, and we have made proposals for improvement. Objective: This article evaluates the results obtained three years after setting up and launching telephone reminders for patients' first appointments. Methods: All patients who were given appointments for first and subsequent visits during 2005 were included. A total of 18215 appointments were studied (3115 first appointments and 15100 subsequent ones). Of these, there were 2479 missed appointments (438 first appointments and 2041 subsequent ones), corresponding to 2215 patients (412 first visits and 1803 subsequent ones), with a mean of 1.12 appointments/patient/year. Results: The non-compliance rate was 13.61 %. The most common non-compliers were men (14.11 % missed appointments against 13.24 % missed appointments in women) and in the age range 20-29 years and 30-39 years (16.46 % and 15.28 % non-compliance, respectively). The mean age of non-compliers was 34.55 ± 14.73 years. We observed a significant number of patients who missed more than one appointment (5.12 % of all non-compliers and 0.7 % of all patients). Differences were found in the degree of non-compliance depending on the type of appointment (14.06 % non-compliance with first visits and 13.52 % with subsequent visits). We observed a significant increase in missed appointments during the Summer holidays; July and August showed the highest percentage of missed appointments for both the first visit (20.62 % in July and 23.59 % in August) and subsequent visits alike (16.14 % in July and 14.23 % in August). Conclusions: A slight reduction in non-compliance was observed after implementing the proposals made in our previous study. In view of the high costs incurred from missed appointments, the government should finance studies to reduce this problem. The causes of non-compliance may be difficult to control, including present access to the public health service. We must be alert to and/or take preventive measures in young patients and cases of previous non-compliance. The degree of non-compliance is a quality indicator, because it reduces the yield of appointments, and it evidences a lack of cohesion of patients with Primary Health Care Units for first appointments, and with Specialist Care Units for subsequent appointments. Once certain levels of attendance have been attained, it is difficult to achieve an effect on this point in order to improve attendance rates

Fundamento: El incumplimiento es una causa frecuente de fracaso de las actuaciones médicas, contribuyendo a ello la ausencia a los controles periódicos. Nuestro grupo con anterioridad ha publicado estudios en los que se analizaba el grado de incumplimiento a citas concertadas, de los pacientes citados en nuestra consulta de Alergología y se realizaban propuestas de mejora. Objetivo: En el presente artículo se evalúan los resultados obtenidos tras tres años desde su puesta en marcha, e introducción de recordar telefónicamente la fecha de la cita a los pacientes de primera vez. Métodos: Se incluyeron los pacientes citados en consulta que acudían por primera vez o a una visita sucesiva, durante todo el año 2005. Fueron objeto del estudio un total de 2.479 citaciones (438 por primera vez y 2.041 sucesivas) que no acudieron a la consulta, correspondientes a 2.215 pacientes (412 de primera visita y 1803 sucesivas), con una media de 1,12 citas/paciente/año. Eran 1391 (56,11%) mujeres y 1088 (43,89%) hombres, con una edad media de 34,55 ± 14.73 años. Resultados: Existió incumplimiento al 13,61% de las consultas. Los pacientes que incurrieron en el incumplimiento con más frecuencia fueron los hombres (14,11% de los citados frente al 13,24%) y las franjas de edades de los 20 a 30 años y de 30 a 40 años (16,46% y 15,28% de incumplimiento respectivamente). Encontramos un número importante de pacientes reincidentes en el incumplimiento (5,12% del total de pacientes incumplidores y 0,7% del total de pacientes citados). Se evidenciaron diferencias en el grado de incumplimiento de las citas en función de la consulta (14.06% incumplimiento en la primera consulta y 13.52% en las consultas sucesivas). Hemos encontrado un aumento significativo de las ausencias en la consulta durante el período vacacional estival, siendo los meses de julio y de agosto los que registraron mayor porcentaje de ausencias, tanto los de primera visita (20,62% en julio y 23,59% en agosto) como los de visitas sucesivas (16,14% en julio y 14,23% en agosto). Conclusiones: Se evidenció un discreto descenso en el incumplimiento, tras poner en marcha las medidas propuestas a raíz de nuestro anterior estudio. Debido a los elevados costes que las inasistencias suponen, es necesario que la administración financie estudios que permitan la disminución de las mismas. Quizá en las inasistencias jueguen papel motivos de difícil control, entre los que cabe barajar la actual accesibilidad a los servicios sanitarios públicos. Es preciso estar alerta y/o tomar medidas anticipatorias en pacientes jóvenes y con incumplimientos previos. El nivel de incumplimiento es un indicador de calidad, al disminuir el rendimiento de las consultas, y poner en evidencia una falta de adherencia de los ciudadanos con los Equipos de Atención Primaria para las primeras consultas, y para la Atención Especializada en las consultas sucesivas. Sobre él, es difícil incidir con el fin de mejorar los índices, una vez obtenidas determinadas cuotas

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Health resources are limited and consequently real cost generators must be identified to optimize resources. In the present article, we describe the structure of the Homogeneous Functional Groups (HFG) for Diagnostic Techniques in the Allergy Department of the Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital in Murcia (Spain) and the healthcare products generated. Based on the 2005 budget, variable costing was used to calculate the costs of the healthcare products generated (skin tests, investigation of drug allergies, etc.) by one of the three HFG (the HFG for complementary investigations). On the basis of these costs, and taking as the unit the cost of one skin prick test, we assigned relative units of value (RUV) to each of the products in our services portfolio. The following conclusions can be drawn: 1) the current system of variable costing provides information, which should be useful to health professionals; 2) the real cost generators in the microcosm of daily clinical practice should be identified to allow resource reallocation; 3) the costing system used enables modifications to be made that allow decision making on optimal use of the budget; 4) to take the decisions required to optimize resources, clinical management and complementary tests should go hand-in-hand.

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Health resources are limited and consequently real cost generators must be identified to optimize resources. In the present article, we describe the structure of the Homogeneous Functional Groups (HFG) for Diagnostic Techniques in the Allergy Department of the Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital in Murcia (Spain) and the healthcare products generated. Based on the 2005 budget, variable costing was used to calculate the costs of the healthcare products generated (skin tests, investigation of drug allergies, etc.) by one of the three HFG (the HFG for complementary investigations). On the basis of these costs, and taking as the unit the cost of one skin prick test, we assigned relative units of value (RUV) to each of the products in our services portfolio. The following conclusions can be drawn: 1) the current system of variable costing provides information, which should be useful to health professionals; 2) the real cost generators in the microcosm of daily clinical practice should be identified to allow resource reallocation; 3) the costing system used enables modifications to be made that allow decision making on optimal use of the budget; 4) to take the decisions required to optimize resources, clinical management and complementary tests should go hand-in-hand

Los recursos sanitarios son limitados, por lo que es preciso identificar los auténticos generadores del gasto, con el fin de poder optimizar los recursos. En la presente publicación se describe la estructura de los Grupos Funcionales Homogéneos (GFH) de Técnicas Diagnósticas del Servicio de Alergología del Hospital Universitario “Virgen de la Arrixaca” de Murcia (España), y los productos sanitarios que genera. Partiendo del presupuesto ejecutado durante el año 2005, y utilizando la contabilidad analítica, se calculan los costes de los productos sanitarios generados (pruebas cutáneas, estudios de alergia a medicamentos, etc.), producidos por uno de los GFH de los tres que la componen, a saber, el GFH de Exploraciones Complementarias. A partir de estos costes, tomando como unidad el coste del prick-test, asignamos unidades relativas de valor (URV), a cada uno de los productos de nuestra Cartera de Servicios. Como conclusiones cabe destacar que el actual sistema de gestión analítica: 1) Proporciona información y ésta debe de tener validez para el clínico. 2) Es necesario identificar verdaderos generadores de gastos en el microcosmos de la clínica diaria que permitan la reasignación de recursos. 3) Hace posible correcciones que permitan tomar decisiones para ejecutar de forma óptima el presupuesto. 4) La gestión clínica y la analítica deben de caminar al unísono, con el fin de poder tomar las medidas necesarias tendentes a optimizar los recursos

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Health resources are limited and consequently real cost generators must be identified to optimize resources. In the present article, we describe the structure of the Allergy Unit of the University Hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca in Murcia (Spain), the health area in which allergic patients are attended, and the final healthcare products generated. Based on the 2004-2005 budget, variable costing was used to calculate the costs of the healthcare products generated (first visits, subsequent visits, and diverse laboratory tests) by two of the three homogeneous functional groups (HFG), i.e., HFG of the ambulatory service and HFG of complementary tests. The following conclusions can be drawn: 1) the current system of variable costing provides information, which should be useful to health professionals; 2) the real cost generators in the microcosm of daily clinical practice should be identified to allow resource reallocation; 3) the costing system used enables modifications to be made that allow decision making on optimal use of the budget; 4) clinical management and complementary tests should go hand in hand with a view to optimizing resources.

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Health resources are limited and consequently real cost generators must be identified to optimize resources. In the present article, we describe the structure of the Allergy Unit of the University Hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca in Murcia (Spain), the health area in which allergic patients are attended, and the final healthcare products generated. Based on the 2004-2005 budget, variable costing was used to calculate the costs of the healthcare products generated (first visits, subsequent visits, and diverse laboratory tests) by two of the three homogeneous functional groups (HFG), i.e., HFG of the ambulatory service and HFG of complementary tests. The following conclusions can be drawn: 1) the current system of variable costing provides information, which should be useful to health professionals; 2) the real cost generators in the microcosm of daily clinical practice should be identified to allow resource reallocation; 3) the costing system used enables modifications to be made that allow decision making on optimal use of the budget; 4) clinical management and complementary tests should go hand in hand with a view to optimizing resources

Los recursos sanitarios son limitados, por lo que es preciso identificar los auténticos generadores del gasto, con el fin de poder optimizar los recursos. En la presente publicación se describe la estructura de la Unidad de Alergología del Hospital Universitario “Virgen de la Arrixaca” de Murcia (España), el área sanitaria en la que son atendidos los pacientes alérgicos, y los productos sanitarios finalistas que genera. Partiendo del presupuesto ejecutado durante los años 2004 y 2005, y utilizando la contabilidad analítica, se calculan los costes de los productos sanitarios generados (primeras visitas, sucesivas y diversas determinaciones analíticas), por dos de los Grupos Funcionales Homogéneos (GFH) de los tres que la componen, a saber, el GFH de Consultas Externas y el GFH de Exploraciones Complementarias. Como conclusiones cabe destacar que el actual sistema de gestión analítica: 1) Proporciona información y ésta debe de tener validez para el clínico. 2) Es necesario identificar verdaderos generadores de gastos en el microcosmos de la clínica diaria que permitan la reasignación de recursos. 3) Hace posible correcciones que permitan tomar decisiones para ejecutar de forma óptima el presupuesto. 4) La gestión clínica y la analítica deben de caminar al unísono, con el fin de poder tomar las medidas necesarias tendentes a optimizar los recursos

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Los recursos sanitarios son limitados, por lo que es preciso identificar los auténticos generadores del gasto, con el fin de poder optimizar los recursos. En la presente publicación se describe la estructura de la Unidad de Alergología del Hospital Universitario "Virgen de la Arrixaca" de Murcia (España), el área sanitaria en la que son atendidos los pacientes alérgicos, y los productos sanitarios finalistas que genera. Partiendo del presupuesto ejecutado durante el año 2004, y utilizando la contabilidad analítica, se calculan los costes de los productos sanitarios generados en el Grupo Funcional Homogéneo (GFH) de hospitalización de Alergología y la de los GRD comunes con la Unidad de Corta Estancia. En ambos casos se analiza el coste económico de la estancia del mismo grupo de diagnósticos (GRD), diferenciando el lugar donde ingresan. En nuestro trabajo hemos encontrado que el coste económico es muy similar en las dos unidades, 481,77 euros por estancia para la hospitalización tradicional frente a 474,04 euros para la corta estancia. Con independencia del coste, la corta estancia aporta otras ventajas para el paciente que deben ser tenidas en cuenta, como comentaremos en otros apartados de este estudio. Como conclusiones cabe destacar: a) la necesidad de que los clínicos tengan siempre in mente la importancia del diagnóstico principal en el Informe Clínico de alta del paciente; b) que el actual sistema de gestión analítica: 1) Proporciona información y ésta debe de tener validez para el clínico. 2) Es necesario identificar verdaderos generadores de gastos en el microcosmos de la clínica diaria que permitan la reasignación de recursos. 3) Hace posible correcciones que permitan tomar decisiones para ejecutar de forma óptima el presupuesto. 4) La gestión clínica y la analítica deben de caminar al unísono, con el fin de poder tomar las medidas necesarias tendentes a optimizar los recursos

Health care resources are limited, leading to a need to identify the true expense generators so as to be able to optimise resources use. We here describe the structure of the Allergology Unit of the “Virgen de la Arrixaca” University Hospital (Murcia, Spain), the area where the allergic patients are cared for, and the generated health-care end results. Based on the budget for the year 2004 and using analytical accounting, the costs were calculated for the generated health-care products for the Homogeneous Functional Group (HFG) of Allergy Hospitalisation and for the common diagnostic groups (GDR) at the Short Admission Unit. In both cases the economic costs of admission were analysed for the same group of the actual economic costs are quite similar for the two units, 481.77 € per admission for traditional admissions vs. 474.04 € for “short” admissions. Regardless of the actual costs, the Short Admission Unit provides further advantages for the patient that are considered in this paper. Our conclusions are the following: a) clinicians should always keep in mind the importance of stating the main dianosis in the patient’s discharge report. b) The current analytical management system 1) provides information, and this information should be of value for the clinician; 2) there is a need to identify the true cost generators within the microcosmos of everyday clinical practise that will allow reassignation of resources; 3) renders possible corrections that allow decision-making for the optimal execution of the budget, and 4) clinical and analytical management should work hand in hand so as to be able to implement the necessary measures for resource optimisation

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Los recursos sanitarios son limitados, por lo que es preciso identificar los auténticos generadores del gasto con el fin de poder optimizar los recursos. En la presente publicación se describe la estructura de la Unidad de Alergología del Hospital Universitario ‘Virgen de la Arrixaca’ de Murcia (España), el área sanitaria en la que son atendidos los pacientes alérgicos y los productos sanitarios finales que genera. Partiendo del presupuesto ejecutado durante el año 2003, y utilizando la contabilidad analítica, se calculan los costes de los productos sanitarios generados (primeras visitas, sucesivas y diversas determinaciones analíticas) por dos de los Grupos Funcionales Homogéneos (GFH) de los tres que la componen, a saber, el GFH de Consultas Externas y el GFH de Exploraciones Complementarias. Como conclusiones cabe destacar que el actual sistema de gestión analítica: 1) proporciona información y ésta debe de tener validez para el clínico; 2) es necesario identificar verdaderos generadores de gastos en el microcosmos de la clínica diaria que permitan la reasignación de los recursos; 3) hace posible correcciones que permitan tomar decisiones para ejecutar de forma óptima el presupuesto; 4) la gestión clínica y la analítica deben de caminar al unísono con el fin de poder tomar las medidas necesarias para optimizar los recursos (AU)

Health resources are limited. So, it is necessary to identify the real costs generators to optimize resources. In the present article we describe the structure of the Allergy Unit of the University Hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca from Murcia (Spain), the health area in which allergic patients are assisted, and the final healthcare products it generates. From budget carried out during 2003, and using variable costing, costs of generated healthcare products (first visits, next visits and diverse laboratory tests) by two of the three Homogeneous Functional Groups (HFG), i.e., HFG from Ambulatory Service and HFG from Complementary Tests, are estimated. As conclusions it can be remarked that the current system of variable costing: 1) provide information, and that this information should be valuable to the health professionals; 2) it is necessary to identify the real costs generators in the daily clinic microcosmos that allow reallocation of resources; 3) it makes corrections possible in order to take decisions to optimally carry out the budget; 4) clinic and analytic managements should run in tune to implementing the necessary measurements to optimize the resources (AU)

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