The tinnitus patient information pack: usefulness in intrusive tinnitus

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine a tinnitus patient information pack’s (TPIP) usefulness in patients suffering with tinnitus with respect to their need for further tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) and in reducing TRT cancellations and non-attenders. Design/methodology/approach The paper consists of prospective case series in a district general hospital ENT out-patient department. Findings Patients with tinnitus-related symptoms constitute around 2 per cent of the ENT OPD workload at the West Middlesex Hospital, Chelsea & Westminster NHS Trust, London, i.e., 365 patients with intrusive tinnitus were referred by the ENT surgeon for TRT; 56/365 patients (15.3 per cent) failed to attend and 60 (16.4 per cent) cancelled their appointments. The following year, a TPIP was administered to all tinnitus sufferers, despite the affliction’s intrusiveness, and told to contact the audiology department if they felt that TRT was required, which resulted in 43/233 patients (18.5 per cent) over a one-year period self-referring for TRT; 2/233 (0.9 per cent) did not attend, and 1/233 (0.4 per cent) were cancelled appointments. Practical implications The patient-focussed TPIP acts as an initial therapy for the tinnitus sufferer by providing reassurance and self-therapy. This results in patients who are less likely to seek TRT, leading to more efficient clinical resource usage (p<0.01). Originality/value The data suggest that all tinnitus sufferers presenting to ENT clinics could be handed a TPIP and empowered with the decision whether they require further intervention.