Role of consultant practice in health care

ABSTRACT

Role of consultation practice in health care at Peshawar has been assessed. Two hundred sixty seven patients/attendants have been studied in detail and their illness record thoroughly checked. Data has revealed that 25% patients sought specialist's advice and consultancy for minor illness as first line whereas 75% sought specialist's advice following previous consultancies and treatment. Previous treatment records where found to be incomplete and limited to a few prescription only proving no help to current consultant. Current consultancy has an average added a monetary burden of Rs. 1300-2000 to the previous average expenditure of Rs. 17, 000/- on the illness episode. Fifteen percent of previously treated patients in this study were properly referred. Patients expressed satisfaction over recent consultancy/advice. Reasons for change of consultants were none or slow improvement. Sixty percent of current prescriptions were found substandard. No or very little difference has been observed in the general and the specialist practice in health care