An audit of colposcopy appointment processes in women with abnormal cervical cytology

• Main Authors: Kietpeerakool C., Manopunya M., Phuprasertsak P., Jaijit T., Srisomboon J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-79956088347&partnerID=40&md5=3322bb04ebfbf0744dc21b0c5f0dbb68; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20646018; http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/handle/6653943832/2652
• Institution: Chiang Mai University

Objectives: This study was conducted to audit the waiting times and default rates of colposcopy using the standard requirements of the National Health Service Cervical Screening Programme (NHSCSP) 2004 guidelines. Methods: The records of 291 women with abnormal cervical smears referred to the colposcopy clinic between January and December 2008 at Chiang Mai University Hospital, Thailand, were reviewed. Results: The proportion of women with abnormal cervical smears of any grade receiving colposcopy appointments within 8weeks of referral (96.9%) achieved the minimum requirements (≥90%). However, the waiting times for women with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, glandular cell abnormality and invasive lesion smears were longer than recommended by NHSCSP guidelines. The default rate of 15.8% in this study was slightly higher than recommended by the guidelines (<15%). Having no health insurance, being known to have HIV infection and waiting times longer than 4weeks were independent predictors of default from an initial colposcopy appointment. Conclusion: The waiting times for colposcopy among women with high-grade smear abnormality and the default rate failed to meet standard requirements. Designing an effective protocol for colposcopy appointment processes is warranted. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.