Factors influencing the diagnostic accuracy and management in acute surgical patients.

Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy (DA) in acute surgical patients admitted to a District General Hospital.

Methods: The case notes of all acute surgical patients admitted under the surgical team for a period of two weeks were reviewed for the data pertaining to the admission diagnoses, relevant investigations and final diagnoses confirmed by either surgery or various other diagnostic modalities. The diagnostic pathway was recorded from the source of referral [general practitioner (GP), A and E, in-patient] to the correct final diagnosis by the surgical team.