[WWW - 2023.07.31]

Data Element Detail

Outpatient clinic service request-clinical urgency category
Identifying and Definitional Attributes
QH 040936 v3
Data Element
Data Element
Draft
24-May-2012		Current
02-Nov-2012		Retired
30-Jun-2015
Standard
01-Jul-2012
30-Jun-2015
A category which indicates the clinical urgency for care and/or treatment, up to the patient's first appointment attendance, following assessment of a request for service by an outpatient clinic.
Hospital outpatient clinic services excluding community mental health care (which includes hospital-based mental health ambulatory services).
Clinical urgency category (ODC)
Representational Attributes
Numeric
Code
N
1
1
Permissible Values

Permissible_values

CodeDescription
1Category 1
2Category 2
3Category 3
5Continuation
Supplementary Values

Supplemenary_values

CodeDescription
8Unclassified - awaiting further information
9Unclassified - other
Collection and Usage Attributes
For outpatient clinics, allocation of the clinical urgency category is assigned on the following basis:

Code 1 Category 1
- Appointment within thirty (30 days) is desirable; and
- Condition will require more complex or emergent care if assessment is delayed; and
- Condition will have significant impact on quality of life if care is delayed beyond thirty (30) days.

Code 2 Category 2
- Appointment within ninety (90) days is desirable; and
- Condition has potential to require more complex care if assessment is delayed; and
- Condition has the potential to have some impact on the quality of life if care delayed beyond ninety (90) days.

Code 3 Category 3
- Appointment within 365 days is desirable; and
- Condition is unlikely to deteriorate quickly; and
- Condition is unlikely to require more complex care if assessment is delayed beyond 365 days.

Supplementary codes:

Code 5 Continuation
A further request for service has been received for continuation of outpatient clinic services. 'Continuation' Outpatient clinic service requests do not require a clinical urgency category as one was assigned on the initial Outpatient clinic service request.

Code 8 Unclassified - awaiting further information
A request for service has not been allocated a clinical urgency category as there was insufficient information provided on the referral and the outpatient clinic service is awaiting further information.

Code 9 Unclassified - other
A request for service has not been allocated a clinical urgency category for reason/s other than awaiting further information.

Responsibility for assignment
The Medical Officer responsible for the specialty should assign the clinical urgency category, following an assessment of the patient's service request. This task may be delegated to a nominated officer (eg: medical registrar, resident or senior registered nurse) where clinical urgency assessment protocols have been clearly defined and documented.

Assigning a clinical urgency category requires the fulfilment of all criteria for that category.

If a patient does not fulfil all criteria for Category 1, Category 2 is considered.

If a patient does not fulfil all criteria for Category 2, then the patient is allocated Category 3 status.

A clinical urgency category (i.e. category 1, 2, or 3) should be defined within five working days following an outpatient clinic service request-receipt date.
The categorisation of service requests facilitates equitable and timely access to appropriate services according to urgency of need.
Relational Attributes
Related Metadata References

Related Metadata References_IR

  • 1 - 3
ViewRelationshipMetadata Item TypeMetadata Item SubtypeNameIdentifier & VersionApproval Status
SupersedesData ElementData ElementOutpatient clinic service request-clinical urgency categoryQH 040936 Version 2Superseded
Is used in the calculation ofData ElementDerived Data ElementOutpatient clinic service request-waiting time to censusQH 041549 Version 2Retired
Is used in the calculation ofData ElementDerived Data ElementOutpatient clinic service request-waiting time to initial attendanceQH 040937 Version 3Retired
Implementation in Metadata Sets

Implemented

  • 1 - 1
ViewMetadata Item TypeMetadata Item SubtypeNameIdentifer & VersionObligationApproval StatusEffective FromEffective To
Information AssetData CollectionQueensland Health Non-Admitted Patient Data Collection (QHNAPDC)QH 020262 Version 1Superseded01-Jul-201430-Jun-2015
Source and Reference Attributes
Queensland Health
Outpatient Services Implementation Standard
Clinical urgency category; Outpatient clinic; Service request; Urgency category;