Inclusion of clinical photographs with general dental practitioner electronic referrals of patients with oral mucosal disease to secondary care: a service review

Abstract

AbstractIntroduction This service evaluation reviewed how the inclusion of photographs in dentist referrals to an oral medicine specialist service can improve the service for triage, prioritisation and diagnosis.Materials and methods Data were prospectively collected from e-referrals over a four-month period. Any change in appointment prioritisation resulting from review of photographs at the vetting stage was recorded.Results Only 29.5% (82 of 367) of referrals included a photograph. Of these, 5% were ‘rejected with advice' since the photograph indicated the patient did not require a secondary care appointment. Additionally, 14% of all referrals were upgraded in urgency, five of which were due to concerns of malignancy, and three of five were upgraded solely based on the photographs as they showed features of possible malignancy, where the written element of the referral did not describe nor raise such concerns.Discussion and conclusions Including a photograph with a referral can often make up for inaccurate or insufficient written content, allowing appropriate and safe prioritisation, especially where the referrer has failed to recognise possible malignancy. Photographs can also prevent unnecessary referral upgrades, ensure an appointment is necessary and can be invaluable as a baseline comparator.