Impact of a nurse−led telephone clinic on quality of IBD care

The course of inflammatory bowel disease is so unpredictable that patients are often well when attending scheduled follow−up hospital appointments. In times of relapse, however, when patients require intervention, clinics are often full or overbooked, limiting the time that clinicians can spend with patients and making rapid access in times of need difficult. This article describes the introduction of a nurse−led telephone clinic, which aimed to improve efficiency and the quality of care provided. A retrospective review shows that it has significantly reduced the non−attendance rate and waiting times for urgent appointments while improving the overall service provided.