Weeks Of Referral Research Articles

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer: a retrospective pathway assessment in a regional cancer centre.

The optimal care pathway (OCP) for people with breast cancer provides a framework for investigation and management of patients with breast cancer, with delays previously identified regionally. With emphasis on the neoadjuvant pathway, the primary aim of this study was to assess the practicality of implementing the breast cancer OCP timeframes regionally in comparison to nationally referenced standards. A retrospective institutional audit was performed for patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy for breast cancer. The time from referral to specialist review, completion of investigations, discussion at multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings, initiation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and surgery were calculated and compared to OCP. Fifty-three patients were included, with 19 patients living rurally (36%). Twenty-four patients (45%) were seen by a specialist surgeon within 2 weeks of referral. Following surgical review, 44 patients (83%) completed investigations within 2 weeks, and 43 patient cases (81%) were discussed at MDT meetings within 2 weeks. Forty-eight patients (91%) were commenced on neoadjuvant treatment within 4 weeks of decision to treat, and 43 patients (81%) underwent surgery within 6 weeks of neoadjuvant treatment completion. Delays from initial referral to NACT were more frequent in rural patients compared to urban (79% vs 94%, P < 0.05). Adherence to OCP timeframes for patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy in a regional centre was feasible and strategies are needed to bridge gaps identified for rural patients.

Skin health of Aboriginal children living in urban communities.

Skin concerns are frequent among urban-living Aboriginal children, yet specialist dermatology consultations are limited with studies highlighting the need for improved cultural security. Through newly established paediatric dermatology clinics at two urban Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), we aimed to describe clinic and patient data, including disease frequencies and associations, to inform dermatology service provision and advocacy. A prospective cohort study of Aboriginal children and young people (CYP, 0-18 years) attending Aboriginal Health Practitioner (AHP) co-ordinated paediatric dermatology clinics at two urban ACCHOs. Data were collected from 32 clinics over 19 months, with 335 episodes of care and a mean attendance rate of 74%. From 78 new patients, 72 (92%) were recruited into the study, only one of whom had previously received dermatologist assessment. Eczema, tinea or acne accounted for 47% (34/72) of referrals, and 60% of patients received their first appointment within 4 weeks of referral. In 47/72 (65%) consultations, the GP referral and dermatologist diagnosis concurred. The most frequent diagnoses (primary or secondary) at first consultation were atopic dermatitis (26%, 19/72), dermatophyte infections (25%, 18/72), acne (21%, 15/72), bacterial skin infections (18%, 13/72) and post-inflammatory dyspigmentation (18%, 13/72). Three categories of the 2022 Australasian College of Dermatologists curriculum (infections, eczema/dermatitis, pigmentary disorders) accounted for 59% of all diagnoses. This study highlights the specialist dermatology needs of urban-living Aboriginal CYP. ACCHO-embedded dermatology clinics co-ordinated by AHPs demonstrated benefits for Aboriginal CYP in accessing care. Opportunities to embed dermatology practice within ACCHOs should be prioritised.

Effect of combined rapid access point-of-care intestinal ultrasound clinic on the management of inflammatory bowel disease

BackgroundIntestinal ultrasound (IUS), although less widely practiced in the UK, offers several advantages in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly with regard to the accessibility of the test and immediate availability...

E017 An early inflammatory arthritis questionnaire to enable enhanced triage and a scoping exercise to assess clinical utility

Abstract Background/Aims The quality of early inflammatory arthritis (EIA) referrals from primary care can vary even with a standardised referral form leading to large numbers of non-EIA patients being seen. Poor utilisation of EIA slots places pressure on an EIA service’s ability to see suspected EIA patients within 3 weeks of referral. To overcome this challenge, a questionnaire was devised to enable enhanced EIA triage and a scoping exercise was carried out to assess clinical utility. Methods 50 patients attending the EIA clinic completed the questionnaire (Table 1) either self-administered or via telephone prior to their appointment. Early Inflammatory Arthritis Screening Questionnaire (Table 1) Positive answers were scored 1 with a maximum score of 11. Following their appointment, the patient diagnosis was collected from patient records. Results Of the 50 patients, 14 (28%) had a confirmed EIA diagnosis and the other 36 (72%) patients had a range of alternative diagnoses. In the confirmed EIA group, the scores ranged from 5-8/11 with an average mean score of 7.0 and median of 7. Further analysis showed patients with a score over 5/11 including symptom duration of 12 months and under (Q1) identified all the confirmed EIA patients. Applying the above criteria to our 50 study patients resulted in 27/50 patients qualifying for an EIA appointment slot and 14/27 (52%) would have been confirmed with EIA. After applying these cut off criteria the sensitivity of the questionnaire was 100% and the specificity was 64%. The non-EIA group scores ranged from 0 - 8/11 with an average mean score of 4.9 and median score of 5. Conclusion In our service triage of EIA referrals on a standardised form resulted in poor utilisation of EIA slots. Triage using the questionnaire improved the EIA slot allocation and increased EIA conversion rate from 28% to 50%. This questionnaire appears to be a promising tool to improve utilisation of EIA appointments. Telephone assessment could be delivered by any member of the multidisciplinary team. Disclosure J. Burton: None. R. Sathananthan: None. S. Levy: None. N. Horwood: None. T. Ahmed: None. R. Suresh: None.

Cascade of care and rapid treatment pathway at Auckland City Hospital for patients with a new diagnosis of HIV infection, 2015-2019.

Legislative changes in 2017 enabled subsidised HIV care for all people living with HIV in New Zealand. This enabled a rapid treatment pathway (RTP) to be developed at Auckland City Hospital (ACH). Our aims were to document the cascade of care for people referred with newly diagnosed HIV infection and evaluate the effect of the RTP. People with newly diagnosed HIV infection in New Zealand referred to ACH between 2015 and 2019 were included in the cascade of care. The 2-year periods before (2015 and 2016) and after (2018 and 2019) the RTP were compared for initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and attainment of HIV viral suppression. There were 240 people with newly diagnosed HIV infection referred. Of these, 197/200 (98.5%) were on ART and 195/197 (99%) had documented viral suppression. ART was initiated within 6 weeks of referral for 41/120 (34.2%) in the pre-RTP and 76/79 (96.2%) in the RTP periods (p<0.0001). Viral suppression was achieved within 6 months of diagnosis for 66/118 (55.9%) in the pre-RTP and 73/75 (97.3%) in the RTP periods (p<0.0001). A high proportion of people referred with newly diagnosed HIV infection were commenced on ART and achieved viral suppression. The RTP facilitated earlier initiation of ART and achievement of viral suppression.

134 Evaluation of the Community Rehabilitation Inpatient Specialist Program (CRISP)—an advanced nurse practitioner (RANP)-led program for frail older adults

Abstract Background Frail older adults disproportionately access acute healthcare services. Novel integrated care programs are needed to redesign care delivery focusing on community-based health promotion, as opposed to crisis response. CRISP is a bespoke, RANP-led program that provides direct access for community-dwelling older adults to short-term (2-weeks) in-patient intensive multidisciplinary rehabilitation based on a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment. Referrals are received from Geriatric ED services, geriatric/neurology/rehabilitation medicine outpatient clinics, ICPOP and local GPs. Admission to a Model 2 Age- Related rehabilitation centre occurs within 4–8 weeks of referral. Methods This Prospective cohort study examines the short to medium-term effects of the CRISP program. Functional, mobility and Quality-of-Life (QoL) measures were collected on admission and discharge. Fall rates, QoL and carer stress are measured four months after completion of the program. Data were analysed using Microsoft Excel. Functional outcome and QoL measurements were compared using paired t-test. Results 73 patients (78%) completed the program and attended for follow up (2021–2022), average age: 80.9 yrs, SD-6.6 yrs, frailty index 5.6 (mild to moderate frailty). There have been statistically significant gains made in performance in activities of daily living (Barthel Index; 76.7A vs 83.9 DC) (p &amp;lt; 0.001), balance (Berg Balance Scale:29.6A vs 36.3 DC) (p &amp;lt; 0.001 and QOL (EQ5D:45.2 A vs 69.8 DC) (p &amp;lt; 0.001). CRISP delivers long-term positive benefits including reduction in falls rates: 2.9(4 months pre-admission) vs 0.5 (4 months following completion of the program) (p &amp;lt; 0.001) and improvement in self-reported QoL, EQ5D:45.2 A vs 62.6 at 4 months following completion of the program. Carers who reported stress 62% (n-45), 91% reported a reduction in stress levels 4 months following the program. Conclusion CRISP provides early intervention at the lowest level of care complexity resulting in reduced fall rates and consequent crisis presentations to acute care. CRISP improves mobility and function promoting independence and improving QoL for community dwelling older adults.

Evaluation of the Early Psychological Intervention Clinic within the Mid-Essex Early Intervention in Psychosis Team

NICE guidelines state that adults experiencing a first episode of psychosis should access psychological input within two weeks of referral (NICE, 2016). In the Mid-Essex Early Intervention Psychosis Team, clients can book up to four sessions of assessment and brief intervention when first referred and feel ready to access the Early Psychological Intervention Clinic (EPIC). Following this, clients can be referred for further psychological intervention should they want or require this. This service evaluation aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of EPIC sessions by comparing the CORE-OM (Evans et al., 2009) outcome measure pre- and post-EPIC and collecting qualitative feedback using a structured interview with open-ended questions. The results showed clinically significant improvements for 45 per cent of clients. Paired T-Tests revealed statistically significant improvement in the overall clinical score and all subsections of the CORE, suggesting EPIC sessions are effective in improving wellbeing, functioning, symptoms and reducing risk. Furthermore, qualitative feedback showed that clients who completed EPIC tended to have good experiences and be motivated to work psychologically. The results of the service evaluation suggest EPIC sessions are beneficial to clients and help improve overall wellbeing, producing clinically and statistically significant outcomes. Clients also reported them being a helpful experience. Therefore, EPIC provides favourable outcomes to the service which suggests it should continue to be offered to clients. Limitations and ideas for service improvement are discussed.

P54 Evaluating capacity issues and safety of uveitis adolescent services at Moorfields Eye Hospital (MEH)

Introduction/BackgroundThe uveitis Young Adults Clinic (YAC) was implemented at MEH in 2019, with the aim of facilitating the transition from children's to adults' services. It receives new patients mainly from paediatric uveitis clinics at MEH and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), both reference centres, but also from multiple other paediatric services across London and the UK. The patients are seen from the age of 16 to 21 (or more in special circumstances). As this clinic runs only for one session weekly, it has been facing capacity issues with overbooking and backlog of patients waiting to be booked.Description/MethodA service evaluation audit was performed with the objectives of quantifying the Uveitis YAC capacity issues and evaluating its safety during the period from December 2020 to December 2021.1) Clinical capacity issues were quantified by checking clinic numbers per staff (new and follow-up patients) and comparing them to other uveitis clinics and the service’s template of 6 patients/doctor.2) Clinic safety was analysed by:- Checking the percentage of YAC patients that receive their hospital appointments within 25% of their intended follow-up period (25% follow-up delay target), following the Royal College of Ophthalmology key outcome measure (minimum standard of 85%).- Quantifying the backlog of new patients waiting to be booked into clinic for more than 18 weeks (RTT referral to treatment time 18 weeks - minimum standard of 85%).A total of 614 patient visits were identified during that time (with 202 unique patient IDs). The data sources used to extract the data were electronic medical records (PAS, Openeyes) and doctors' rota. Patient data were extracted in an automated way from EMR by a senior information analyst from the Service Improvement department. Data processing and analysis were done by two members of the clinical team independently with Excel and R.Discussion/ResultsA total of 421/614 visits had available intended follow-up times at PAS. Of these, 246 patients (58%) were seen within 25% of their requested follow-up.A total of 303 new patient appointment requests were retrieved from the YAC waiting list during that period (screenshot of first day/month). Of these, 94 were unique patients (patients stayed in the waiting list for more than one month). We excluded the patients added in the last month of December 2021 (total 18), as there was no way of checking when they left the waiting list. Out of the remaining 76 patients, 56.6% were not seen within 18 weeks of referral (43.4% were seen).There were 56 clinic dates during the period December 2020 to December 2021. From the first clinic in December 2020 to the last in June 2021, 191 patients were seen in YAC (178 follow-ups and 13 new). The mean number of patients per doctor was 6.8. From July to December 2021, 213 patients were seen (198 F/U and 15 news). The mean number of patients per doctor was 8.5. When comparing to the adult uveitis clinic which happens at the same dates and times, in the first 6 months, the number of patients per doctor was 4.3, compared to 5.8 in the second semester.The results show that the follow-up times are not reaching safety standards following RCO recommendations. New patient referrals are not being seen according to RTT standards. The number of patients per doctor exceeds service guidelines of 6 patients/doctor for complex uveitis patients.Key learning points/ConclusionThe YAC is a unique service that receives patients from major London uveitis services and works closely with UCLH Rheumatology Adolescent services to deal with complex and vulnerable cases. This audit shows that the clinic is working above this capacity and needs further support to be able to provide safe and high-quality care for adolescent patients. Possible improvements would involve increasing the clinical team, ideally with multidisciplinary members, and optimising scrutiny and booking of patients.

The benefits of index telephone consultations in patients referred on the two-week wait colorectal cancer pathway.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to hospitals in the UK substituting face-to-face (FtF) clinics with virtual clinic (VC) appointments. We evaluated the use of virtual two-week wait (2-ww) lower gastrointestinal (LGI) clinic appointments, conducted using telephone calls at a district general hospital in England. Patients undergoing index outpatient 2-ww LGI clinic assessment between 1 June 2019 and 31 October 2019 (FtF group) and 1 June 2020 and 31 October 2020 (VC group) were identified. Relevant data were obtained using electronic patient records. Compliance with national cancer waiting time targets was assessed. Environmental and financial impact analyses were performed. In total, 1,531 patients were analysed (median age=70, male=852, 55.6%). Of these, 757 (49.4%) were assessed virtually via telephone; the remainder were seen FtF (n=774, 50.6%). Ninety-two (6%, VC=44, FtF=48) patients had malignant pathology and 64 (4.2%) had colorectal cancer (CRC); of these, 46 (71.9%, VC=26, FtF=20) underwent treatment with curative intent. The median waiting times to index appointment, investigation and diagnosis were significantly lower following VC assessment (p<0.001). The cancer detection rates (p=0.749), treatments received (p=0.785) and median time to index treatment for CRC patients (p=0.156) were similar. A significantly higher proportion of patients were seen within two weeks of referral in the VC group (p<0.001). VC appointments saved patients a total of 9,288 miles, 0.7 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions and £7,482.97. Taxpayers saved £80,242.00 from VCs. No formal complaints were received from patients or staff in the VC group. Virtual 2-ww LGI clinics were effective, safe and were associated with tangible environmental and financial benefits.

P020 The impact of COVID-19: local observations from the National Early Inflammatory Arthritis Audit

Background/AimsThe National Early Inflammatory Arthritis Audit (NEIAA) has provided the opportunity for rheumatology services to benchmark the care they provide against NICE quality standards (QS)33. It has proven to be a powerful lever for improving quality and our department is testimony to this. Recruitment to all national audits was paused for several months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Once pressures had eased we recognised that NEIAA would help to understand the impact of the pandemic on the diagnosis and initial management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Our department continued to see all new urgent referrals face-to-face and were fortunate that the team were not redeployed.MethodsData submitted to the NEIAA online tool during year 3 (September 2020-March 2021) were downloaded for analysis. Data from year 2 were downloaded for comparison.ResultsIn year 3, 154 patients were recruited to the audit compared to 268 in year 2. 36 (23%) had rheumatoid arthritis and were included in the follow-up cohort compared to 73 (27%) in year 2. All patients had a baseline and a 3-month follow up form completed, however 17 patients in year 3 had a telephone appointment at 3 months and there was no available DAS28. Patient demographics were similar. The case mix of patients recruited was also; in year 3, 41% were diagnosed with autoimmune inflammatory arthritis compared to 47% in year 2 and 42% with a non-inflammatory condition compared to 39% in year 2. In year 3, 41% of all patients were seen within 3 weeks of being referred and 58% of patients with RA started DMARD therapy within 6 weeks of referral. This compared to 54% and 56%, respectively, in year 2. In year 3, symptom duration prior to referral appeared longer: 31% had symptoms for less than 3 months, 31% for 3-6 months, 22% for 6-12 months and 16% for more than 12 months compared to 67%, 18%, 12% and 3%, respectively, in year 2. DAS28 at baseline was higher in year 3 with 47% high, 47% moderate and 6% low disease activity or in remission compared to 27%, 61% and 12%, respectively, in year 2. DAS28 at 3-months was also higher in year 3 with 16% high, 37% moderate and 27% low disease activity or remission compared to 6%, 25% and 69% respectively in year 2.ConclusionDespite the impact of the pandemic we have maintained our performance against QS2 and 3. However, patients seemed to have longer duration of symptoms prior to referral, higher disease activity at baseline and at 3 months. We await the 12-month data to determine 1-year outcomes, including escalation to high cost drug therapies.Disclosure E. MacPhie: Other; EM is the secretary of the North West Rheumatology Club, meetings have been supported by UCB, MSD, Abbvie and Lilly. L. Ashcroft: None. N. Foreman: None. S. GIlbert: None. S. Horton: None. A. Madan: None. K. Moon: None. C. Rao: None. S. Fish: None.

Increasing resources for autism evaluation and support for under‐resourced schools through a state‐wide school telehealth initiative

AbstractAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disability affecting 1 in 44 children nationally. Timely referral to intervention and support services for ASD has consistently demonstrated significant long‐term positive effects on symptoms and subsequent skills and family outcomes. This paper highlights a novel and innovative approach of short‐term consultations for best practices to ultimately increase access to timely ASD evaluations and support through a state‐wide school telehealth initiative. The goal of the initiative was to facilitate rapid access to ASD evaluation and support (within 2 weeks of referral in school‐age youth) among under‐resourced school systems in Central Texas. First, this paper provides background relative to current disparities that many children face when attempting to obtain ASD evaluations and support. Second, a statewide legislative response is described that created a mental health consortium targeting increased access to broad‐based mental health services and supports, particularly in underserved areas. Next, the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) program is outlined with a particular focus on day‐to‐day operationality and concentrated efforts to increase mental health literacy among school teams relative to ASD symptoms and co‐occurring behavioral health concerns. Year 1 utilization data metrics (September 2020–May 2021) and representative case examples are presented. Finally, early “lessons learned” and future directions are discussed.

Trends and variation in urgent referrals for suspected cancer 2009/2010-2019/2020.

In the UK, the majority of cancers are diagnosed following referral from the GP after presenting with symptoms, signs, or test results associated with undiagnosed cancer.1 In England and Wales, an urgent referral pathway for patients presenting to GPs with ‘red flag’ symptoms was introduced in 2000, whereby all patients should be seen by a specialist within 2 weeks of referral (known as the Two Week Wait [TWW] pathway). These guidelines were updated in 2015 by incorporating more non-specific symptoms and lowering the threshold of risk of cancer from 5% to 3%.2 The TWW pathway is a high-volume referral pathway and the number of referrals has increased substantially over the last decade; in 2019/2020, 2.4 million patients were referred via this pathway.3 In addition to monitoring TWW referral rates, other key outcome indicators are the conversion rate (percentage of TWW referrals resulting in a cancer diagnosis) and the detection rate (percentage of new cancer cases treated resulting from a TWW referral) (Box 1). Improving the detection rate is a key priority as this means that patients may be diagnosed more promptly rather than by other routes such as emergency presentations, which have poorer survival.1 However, obtaining the right balance between high detection rate and low conversion rate is difficult and complex, involving many stakeholders.4 The full impact of increasing referrals on conversion and detection rates, as well as the wider impact on patients and the health system, is not well understood.4 There is a growing body of published data on cancer diagnostics publicly available including data by cancer pathway. | | ||

439 Managing Parathyroid Carcinoma in the Age of COVID 19

AimParathyroid carcinoma is a rare malignancy accounting for 1% of cases of primary hyperparathyroidism. Pre-operative diagnosis is difficult because in the absence of metastatic disease, the presentation is similar to benign parathyroid disease. In patients with hyperparathyroidism and severe hypercalcaemia or a significantly raised parathyroid hormone (PTH) level clinicians should consider parathyroid carcinoma and expediting surgical management. During the current pandemic, a high index of suspicion should be maintained to ensure that care is not compromised. A review of the management of patients with suspected parathyroid carcinoma during the COVID-19 pandemic is presented.MethodIn our tertiary referral centre for Endocrine surgery, 4 presentations of parathyroid cancer were reviewed. Their investigations, surgical management and post-operative outcomes are described with a brief literature review of parathyroid cancer.ResultsOf the four cases of parathyroid carcinoma described, all presented with severe hypercalcaemia and significantly raised PTH levels. Pre-operative mean calcium was 3.36mmol/L and mean PTH was 80pmol/L (52-99.8). Patients were imaged with a combination of cross-sectional imaging and ultrasound. Two patients had evidence of distant disease at presentation. 1 patient was transferred as an inpatient to our centre and the other three patients were seen within 2 weeks of referral; the mean time from referral to surgery was 14days (1-23). Post-operatively, all patients achieved normocalcaemia, with PTH levels normal in all but one.ConclusionsDespite limitations on face-to-face clinic consultations and reduced capacity for elective surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic, all patients were investigated and managed promptly to ensure superior outcomes.

Service evaluation for services for younger people with dementia in east locality of north Wales

AimsTo evaluate Young-onset dementia (YOD) services in terms of referral, its appropriateness, time to diagnosis and other criteria as per protocol that we have adapted.MethodCase notes of those under 65 referred to Memory service for cognitive assessment between July 2017 and June 2018 were retrospectively reviewed to look at the time to diagnosis, appropriate referrals, post-diagnostic support, etc.ResultCompared to the previous evaluation, the number of patients referred to had increased from 47–48/ year earlier to 63/year. Only 1/3 were appropriate referral over the 10-year period whereas between 2017 and 2018 more than half were appropriate referrals. More than half of them were seen within 12 weeks of referral (35/63 available). Only 132/252 were diagnosed as having some form of dementia in the previous evaluation which was about 13 cases of YOD a year. In contrast, in our new evaluation 19 patients were diagnosed with some form of dementia. Inappropriate referrals had reduced by more than 50%. Appropriateness and timely referral had improved in this time frame.ConclusionDementia is considered ‘young onset’ when it affects people under 65 years of age. It is also referred to as ‘early onset’ or ‘working age’ dementia. However, this is an arbitrary age distinction that is becoming less relevant as increasingly services are realigned to focus on the person and the impact of the condition, not the age. Teaching sessions to educate primary &amp; secondary care clinicians on appropriateness and timely referrals have helped in improving the care for patients with YOD. Services need to be developed further to be able to diagnose &amp; support those with YOD. Repeat evaluations every year would help to inform improvement in quality &amp; appropriateness of referrals.

Compliance with nice guidelines for management of depression in a community mental health team

AimsTo evaluate compliance within a Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) to the NICE guidelines for the management of depression.BackgroundReducing the prevalence of depression continues to be a major public health challenge.Given the complexity and recurrent nature of the condition, the NICE guideline CG90 is an invaluable resource to aid the effective management of depression. Here we present an audit of adherence to this guideline within a CMHT.MethodA retrospective electronic casenote review of all patients diagnosed with depression between January 2016 and October 2019 under the care of a Birmingham CMHT (n = 35), assessing key performance areas including: quality of assessment and coordinated care, risk assessment, choice of pharmacological and psychological treatment using the stepped care model and appropriate crisis resolution planning.ResultKey results include: The majority of patients were Caucasian (63%). Ages ranged from 27 to 69 (mean age 48 years old).Severity of disorder was typically moderate (46%) or severe (48%). Of those with a diagnosis of severe depression, 41% had associated psychotic symptoms.Psychiatric comorbidity was high (49%), of which generalised anxiety disorder was the most common (59%).Referrals were typically from primary care (77%). Approximately half (51%) had reported suicidal thoughts according to the referral.A quarter of patients (26%) were seen by CMHT within 8 weeks of referral; 20% of referrals however waited over 12 months before being assessed.Risk assessments were out of date for 71% of patients.100% of patients had a crisis plan noted within their most recent clinic letter; however, none of these met the required standards.Polypharmacy was common (60%), with 34% prescribed two antidepressants. Use of lithium augmentation was uncommon, with only one patient prescribed this. 43% were prescribed an antipsychotic; of which, 29% had appropriate physical health monitoring completed.Over half of patients (60%) had been referred to psychology services; of these, 38% had either completed or were in ongoing treatment at the time of review.ConclusionCMHTs manage the care of individuals with depression who have high levels of active symptoms and disability, psychiatric comorbidity, care requirements, and complex treatment plans. Pharmacological management was broadly in line with guidelines, and rates of referral to psychology were satisfactory. Risk assessment and crisis planning are clear areas in need of urgent attention in order to comply with guidelines and ensure patient safety.

P017 Out of outlier status: local observations from the National Early Inflammatory Arthritis Audit

Abstract Background/Aims The National Early Inflammatory Arthritis Audit (NEIAA) provides a powerful lever for driving up quality. Rheumatology services benchmark care against NICE quality standards (QS) 33. Notifications are sent out quarterly to Trusts at risk of being an outlier and outliers are identified in the annual report. After being named as an outlier, this project describes our journey to improve compliance against QS2 (patients are seen in a rheumatology clinic within 3 weeks of referral and QS3 (patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are started on DMARDs within 6 weeks of referral). Methods Data submitted to the NEIAA online tool during year one were downloaded for analysis. Results were presented to the Rheumatology Multi-Disciplinary Team, the patient pathway was mapped, driver diagrams were developed by the team and areas for improvement identified and changes implemented. Data from year two were downloaded for comparison. Results In total 530 patients were recruited to the audit: 262 in year 1 and 268 in year 2. 77 (29%) in year 1 and 73 (27%) in year 2 had confirmed RA and were included in this analysis. All patients had a baseline form completed, and 61 (86%) and 56 (77%) had a 3-month follow-up form completed for year 1 and 2, respectively. The demographics were very similar for years 1 and 2. In year 1, 10% of all patients were seen within 3 weeks of being referred and 7% in the RA cohort started DMARD therapy within 6 weeks of referral. This compared to 54% and 56%, respectively, in year 2. Changes implemented relating to QS2 included referral guidelines for primary care, prompts when requesting rheumatoid factor and CCP antibodies and changes to the wording of antibody reports, increased triage capacity, simplifying the booking process and increased new appointment capacity (additional consultant, upskilling extended scope practitioner). QS3 changes implemented included increasing drug education and monitoring clinic capacity and improved sign-posting to National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society. Initial combination therapy was more prevalent in sero-positive patients and those with a high DAS28 during both years. In year 1, disease activity at baseline vs. 3 months was: remission/low disease activity in 8% vs. 54%, moderate in 45% vs. 39% and high in 47% vs. 7%. In year 2, rates at baseline vs. 3 months were: remission/low disease activity 12% vs. 69%, moderate in 60% vs. 25% and high in 28% vs. 6%. Conclusion Significant changes have been made which have resulted in an improvement in performance against QS2 and 3. Disease activity at baseline was lower, potentially as a result of seeing patients sooner and this has resulted in better outcomes for patients at 3 months. Ongoing data collection will allow the team to determine outcomes at 12 months. Disclosure E. MacPhie: Other; EM is the secretary of the North West Rheumatology Club, these regional meetings have been funding by an unrestricted educational grant from UCB and are now sponsored by Abbvie. L. Ashcroft: None. J. Brazendale: None. N. Foreman: None. S. Gilbert: None. C. Greenall: None. S. Horton: None. I. Lewis: None. A. Madan: None. C. Rao: None. S. Fish: None.

P016 When and how to deliver advice about self-management: local observations from the National Early Inflammatory Arthritis Audit

Abstract Background/Aims The National Early Inflammatory Arthritis Audit (NEIAA) provides the opportunity for rheumatology services to benchmark the care they provide against NICE quality standards (QS) 33. During the first year of the audit our focus, after being identified as an outlier, was on improving performance against QS2 and specifically reducing waiting times. This project assessed compliance against QS4: patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are offered educational and self-management activities within 1 month of diagnosis. Methods Data submitted to the NEIAA online tool during the second year of the audit were downloaded for analysis. Results were presented initially to our National RA Society (NRAS) Patient Support Group and then together with feedback from the patients, to the Rheumatology Multi-Disciplinary Team. Driver diagrams were developed and areas for improvement identified. Results In total, 268 patients were recruited to the audit in year 2; 73 (27%) had confirmed RA and were included in this analysis. Follow-up data at 3 months was available for 56 patients (77%). Characteristics were: mean age 58 years (range: 19-88), 47 (64%) female, 34 (47%) working and 11 (15%) smoked. Forty-one patients (56%) started DMARD therapy within 6 weeks of referral. All patients with RA received written information at baseline about their condition. However, only 39 patients (71%) were documented to have been provided with advice about self-management at their 3-month follow-up. Feedback from the NRAS Group highlighted a number of important considerations. Firstly, that information about self-management needs to be given to the patient at the right time. Patients need to be ready to take advice on board and to have come to terms with their diagnosis. For many, trying to do this in the first 3 months of diagnosis was felt too soon. Information needs to be made available in different formats and tailored to the individual. Patients valued speaking to someone with a lived experience and felt this was more powerful than speaking to a healthcare professional to understand about self-management. Driver diagrams highlighted areas for improvement which included the importance of the team agreeing what is meant by self-management, using a patient activation measure to determine if the patient is ready to take on board this information, exploring different formats of delivery and utilising expert patients. Conclusion The NEIAA has again enabled the team to identify further areas for improvement. Involving patients in the discussion has provided a valuable insight into how we look to support our patients to live with their condition. It has also led us to question whether the QS is right to support that self-management advice is offered to patients within 1 month of diagnosis. Disclosure E. MacPhie: Other; EM is the secretary of the North West Rheumatology Club, these regional meetings have been funding by an unrestricted educational grant from UCB and are now sponsored by Abbvie. L. Ashcroft: None. J. Brazendale: None. N. Foreman: None. S. Gilbert: None. C. Greenall: None. S. Horton: None. I. Lewis: None. A. Madan: None. C. Rao: None. S. Fish: None.

An international telemedicine program for diagnosis of genetic disorders: Partnership of pediatrician and geneticist.

There is a shortage of genetics providers worldwide and access is limited to large academic centers. Telemedicine programs can facilitate access to genetic services to patients living in remote locations. The goal of this study was to improve access to genetic services in the Dominican Republic by creating a partnership model between a pediatrician and geneticist. This approach has been used within the United States but not in the setting of two different countries, healthcare system, and cultures. Patients were referred to the Centro de Obstetricia y Ginecologia program if a syndromic or genetic etiology was suspected by their local provider. Pediatrician first evaluated all patients prior to telemedicine appointment to review family and medical history. All genetic visits were scheduled within 2 weeks of referral in collaboration with telehealth program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. A total of 66 individuals were evaluated during a period of 5 years. Fifty-seven individuals underwent genetic studies, and a molecular diagnosis was made in 39 individuals. Exome sequencing was the most common first line test when differential diagnosis was broad (n = 40). The most common inheritance was autosomal recessive in 15 individuals, followed by 13 individuals with autosomal dominant disorders, 7 individuals X-linked disorders, and 4 individuals with chromosomal abnormalities. This study provides data to support utility of geneticist and pediatrician partnership to provide outreach telemedicine diagnostics and management services for rare diseases in an international setting.

Sustained Effects of a School-Based Psychiatry Program

To provide access to timely youth psychiatric care, the Bridge Program: School-Based Psychiatry provides interim, school-based psychiatric services by child psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse case managers at no cost to families. In its first year, Bridge served 394 youths, mostly from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, within 10 days of referral. Parents and teachers reported significant reductions in symptoms and high ratings of satisfaction and social validity. In the present study, we examine these same indicators during Bridge’s third year of implementation to examine Bridge’s sustained effects. During its third year (January to June 2018), Bridge served 210 youths (the majority were from economically disadvantaged families) within 4 weeks of referral. Outcomes for youth symptoms, treatment adherence, and parent and school personnel satisfaction remained as strong or stronger compared to the first year. These findings demonstrate promise for Bridge’s sustainability and provide implications for school-based providers.

Abstract 242: Evaluating the Impact and Barriers to a Collaborative Physician-pharmacist Care Model to Control Hypertension in a Low-income Population

Objectives: Physician-pharmacist collaborative practice models have emerged as an effective model for managing hypertension (HTN). We implemented this model in a low-income, hospital-based cardiology clinic and sought to identify programmatic features necessary to control HTN in this vulnerable population. Methods: Patients with persistently elevated blood pressure (&gt;130/80) were referred by their primary cardiologist. Patients were excluded if they were pregnant, had acute kidney injury, or acute cardiovascular complaints including anginal chest pain, decompensated heart failure, or unstable arrhythmia. The initial pharmacist appointment occurred within 2 weeks of referral, with the goal of bi-weekly visits for 6 weeks or until blood pressure was controlled. Patients were prescribed home blood pressure cuffs and given specific instructions for home-based monitoring. Telehealth visits were made available to interested patients. During each encounter, pharmacists assessed response and side effects to medication, adherence, lifestyle behaviors, stressors, and social barriers to blood pressure control. Clinical management and barriers to HTN control were reviewed at standing weekly staff meetings that included cardiologists and pharmacists. Early results: Among 35 people referred, 22 patients attended at least one pharmacist visit. A total of 139 reminder or follow-up calls were made for these 22 patients. Among the first 35 referrals (mean age 58; 57% male; 65% African American or Latinx), 26% have documented substance use disorders, 34% have a mental health comorbidity, 20% were not taking their medications as prescribed on intake, and 17% had side effects from 2 or more prior antihypertensive medications. Medications adjustments were made in 21/43 patient visits (49% of visits). In 8/43 visits more than 1 medication change was made. The most common patient reported barriers to care include transportation (20%) and language barriers (11%). Discussion and Future Direction: Managing HTN in a low-income population requires attention to the social and contextual factors impacting blood pressure control. We plan to: 1) support the uptake of telehealth to address issues of transportation and access; 2) pilot blue-tooth connected blood pressure cuffs to facilitate home monitoring and management; and 3) partner with community health workers to assess best practices for capturing and addressing social determinants of health in the clinical setting.