Appropriateness of outpatient follow-up for patients with cardiac disease in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham.

The aim of this study was to identify and describe the outpatients with a cardiac problem in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham whose follow-up may be inappropriate.

Four cardiology and two medical outpatient clinics were selected. The study design was a cross sectional case note survey. The study sample comprised 184 outpatients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria and attended during the

week beginning July 3rd 1995.

The main outcome measures were; duration of follow-up, cardiac diagnoses, eo-morbidity, grade of attending staff, discharge rates, reason for attendance, reason for further follow-up.