Patient initiated follow-up (PIFU), gives patients more choice over when they come for their next outpatient appointment.
Traditionally, appointments have been arranged automatically, with patients invited to come back on a future date – maybe in a few months, or years’, time. These follow-up appointments are mostly made without knowing whether the patient will actually need to be seen, or how their health will be at that point.
Under patient initiated follow-up arrangements, the decision over whether to be seen is given to the individual.
Once the clinician – doctor, nurse or therapist – identifies that a patient is suitable, a discussion will take place to agree how long the PIFU timeframe needs to be. This can range from between three months to five years.
During this period, if the patient feels they need further advice, or their condition deteriorates and they want to be seen, they can get in touch to ask for an appointment.
Details about who to contact and how, i.e. telephone and email details, will be provided in a letter.
As long as this is for the original condition, patients can make this contact direct, without having to go through their GP or another referral route.
When the agreed PIFU period is over, the patient is automatically discharged.
