I was doing my medical ward round few days ago, when my foundation doctor colleague asked me about how soon that I should see my patient after his discharge from the stroke ward. This patient was admitted originally due to his ishaemic stroke and few investigations were already done. I noticed that the waiting list for the stroke prevention clinic is still long, in fact very long. I immediately said we need to change that and make it easier and quicker for the patients to attend the outpatient clinics.
This is what I would like to do next year. I might be dreaming but I can tell you about it this time next year:
1. Cut my waiting list for the clinic.
2. Less admin work for the foundation doctors and more training and teaching. My F1 doctor said to me the other day: I am not working as a doctor in fact I do not feel that I am a doctor anymore. I am a ward clerk or a secretary chasing results and telephoning booking offices. This can’t be right at all. I need to change that next year.
3. Is it going to be possible to use the e-referral system for my TIA patients? This is on my agenda for next year and why not?. I am sure relying on e- referrals software will make the service more efficient and will shorten the time between referrals and the actual review of the patients by the hospital doctors.
4. I need to change my practice next year and thrombolyse ischaemic stroke patients using telestroke medicine facilities. This will allow more patients to be thrombolysed and from rural areas that can’t be reached otherwise if we do not have the IT skills and the facilities.
