Patient advice line for Crohn's and Colitis
Organisation: Taranaki District Health Board
Date of project: Completed
Providing a telephone and email advice line service for patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis whom are under the care of a gastroenterologist at Taranaki District Health Board. This service is run solely by the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) which allows patients to leave message/email and then await a phone call back for assessment and advice. All patients are advised to call if they are unwell with symptoms suggestive of a flare of their condition and/or if they have queries regarding their condition or medications. The CNS will undertake an assessment of each patient over the phone (if reporting to be unwell) and then arrange for necessary tests to be undertaken remotely (blood and stool tests), and as appropriate arrange for urgent clinic review or ED attendance if significantly unwell.
On an annual basis an audit of this service is undertaken and a report showing the total number of calls taken with a breakdown according to advice given/urgent appointment made or ED attendance advised.
If you would like more information about this project, please email us.