Urinary tract infection/vaginitis protocol. Use in a walk-in clinic.

A process, outcome and salary-cost analysis was made of the use of a urinary tract infection/vaginitis protocol. Three nurse practitioners, in a university-based, walk-in clinic, cared for 128 women presenting with complaints of dysuria or vaginal discharge, or both. There were no significant differences among the nurse practitioners in data collection, diagnostic accuracy or patient outcome. The diagnoses were correct in 92 percent, incorrect in 6 percent and indeterminate in 2 percent of the patients. Incorrect diagnoses were due to presumption of urinary tract infection in patients with the urethral syndrome or vaginitis. Of the patients, 78 percent were actually sent home without seeing a physician. Concordance with the nurse practitioners' physical examination was 100 percent in those patients examined by a physician. In 82 percent of the patients there was alleviation of symptoms. Patient satisfaction with this method of care was extraordinary, with 98 percent of the patients giving favorable reports. True physician extension was achieved with a reduction in physician time per patient from 20 minutes to 6 minutes. In contrast to previously reported data, only a modest reduction in salary cost savings (10 percent) could be shown. The author concludes that nurse practitioners working in an acute care clinic or emergency department can see the patients defined in the study and provide high-quality care at a reasonable cost.