Abstract Background Interventional radiology (IR) is vital for treating various medical conditions with minimally invasive procedures. However, many hospitals face challenges in providing continuous IR services. At the study hospital, IR is only available two days a week, with critical cases referred to a tertiary centre for the rest of the week. This observational study examines the impact of limited IR access on patient outcomes, hospital resources, and costs. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who required IR within the general surgery department over a 12-month period. The analysis was conducted focusing on delays in intervention, transfers to tertiary centres, Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU) admissions, length of stay, and associated costs. Results The study found significant delays in patient care, with an average waiting time of three days for IR procedures and one patient waiting as long as 16 days. Delays in accessing IR led to 3 patients requiring transfers to tertiary centres when local services were unavailable. These delays contributed to prolonged hospital stays. In total, 114 additional ward bed days and 3 ITU bed days were accumulated, resulting in an estimated additional cost of £108,357. Conclusions Limited IR service availability led to delayed interventions, higher ITU admissions, prolonged stays, and substantial financial costs. Expanding IR service availability could improve patient outcomes, reduce delays, and alleviate the clinical and economic burden associated with limited access to IR services.
Canbolat et al. (Fri,) studied this question.