Adherence to Referral Criteria at Admission and Patient Management at a Specialized Burns Centre: The Case of the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa.

ABSTRACT: Referral guidelines for burn care are meant to assist in decision-making as regards patient transfer and admissions to specialized units. Little is known, however, concerning how closely they are followed and whether they are linked to patient care. This is the object of the current study, focused on the paediatric burns centre of the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. All patients admitted to the centre during the winters of 2011-2015 (n = 1165) were included. The patient files were scrutinized to clarify whether the referral criteria in place were identified (seven in total) and to compile data on patient and injury characteristics. A case was defined as adherent to the criteria when at least one criterion was fulfilled and adherence was express

SUBMITTER: Boissin C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5551170 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature