Referral practices are associated with a delay in treatment of symptomatic cholelithiasis and cholecystitis.

BACKGROUND

The project was performed to determine if referrals to non-surgical providers after an initial presentation of symptomatic cholelithiasis are associated with a delay in surgical management.

METHODS

A single institution chart review of all adult patients who underwent a cholecystectomy from 2015 to 2019 was completed. Quantitative data was analyzed using independent t-tests.

RESULTS

Of 574 reviewed, 482 patients met criteria. Following initial presentation, 295 (61.2%) received a referral to surgery and 187 (38.8%) received follow up with a non-surgical provider. Those in the latter group had a significantly longer time from initial symptom presentation to surgical evaluation (65.7 days vs. 10.3 days, p ​< ​0.001) and cholecystectomy (102.0 days vs 39.1 days, p ​< ​0.001) when compared to the surgery referral group.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that cholecystectomy was significantly delayed for patients who had been referred to non-surgical providers after initial presentation, prolonging symptoms and increasing use of healthcare resources.