[The demand for specialized care in otorhinolaryngology].

Background: The specialized medical assistance knowledge improved in hospitals since the introduction of Clinical Documentation Services, but hardly anything is known about outpatient assistance, specially in otolaryngology.

Methods: In order to find out this information, during 1992 last quarter, we sampled 20 days of outpatient consult, studying the following variables in patients visited: age, sex, diagnosis, diagnostic-therapeutic procedures and motives for hospital attention.

Results: In the sample first visits are 63% and second visits 37%. Only 7.5% of patients were sent to hospital and we refer the diagnosis cause. In 5.6% of cases we couldn't establish any diagnosis, the 47% of cases presented otologic pathology and the rest 47% belonged to rhinologic pathology, pharyngeal and laryngeal troubles. The frequency of diagnosis were different in age groups. In 25% of patients diagnostic-therapeutic procedures were done.

Conclusions: This study supplies us interesting information about the features of ENT outpatient assistance respect sex and age, more frequent diagnostics, procedures and causes for hospital attention.