AB196. 179. Acute surgical assessment unit—the evolving pathway for general surgical patients

Background: Ireland has followed in the footsteps of Australia and the UK with the introduction of surgical assessment units. This year Galway University Hospital acute surgical assessment unit (ASAU) has successfully introduced a direct general practitioner referral pathway. This direct pathway allows senior decision makers to assess surgical patients with an acute surgical issue rapidly from their onset of symptoms. This efficient pathway aims to reduce unnecessary surgical admissions and ensure patients with an acute surgical issue do not experience unnecessary delays in the emergency department.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed general surgical admissions over a period of a 1-month period before and after the establishment of the acute surgical assessment unit. Collecting data on emergency admissions to the University Hospital Galway over a 6-year period.

Results: From 2012 we have seen in a sustained increased in the number of emergency general surgical admissions. While the number of referrals to General surgery continued to rise over the preceding 5 years, following the introduction of an ASAU the admission rate drop by 24%.

Conclusions: Overall, there was a reduction in general surgical admissions over a 1-month period when comparing general surgical admissions in the previous 5 years after the establishment of an ASAU.

Keywords: Surgical assessment unit; surgical admissions