[Quick and early diagnostic outpatient unit: an effective and efficient assistential model. Five years experience].

Background And Objective: To analyze the applicability of an out-patient Quick and Early Diagnostic Unit (QEDU) to evaluate patients with a potential life-threatening disorder on an out-patient basis.

Patients And Method: We analyzed prospectively all patients attended in the unit for five years (1997-2001). We compared patients with lung cancer and colorectal cancer admitted to hospital for conventional study versus patients studied at the unit.