Chlamydia trachomatis infection in a colposcopy unit:: an audit of a fast track referral system for infected patients to a genitourinary medicine department and a survey of patients' demography, clinical findings and partner details

We had previously shown that screening and treating patients for Chlamydia trachomatis prior to termination of pregnancy significantly reduces postoperative morbidity. Our success led us to consider screening women attending our colposcopy unit and this was introduced in 1998. However, it became apparent that a formal protocol was needed for managing women who had positive results to ensure that all patients and their partners were adequately treated. An interdepartmental protocol was devised for fast track referral of infected patients to the Genitourinary Medicine (GUM) clinic Health Advisor who arranged immediate treatment and partner notification. A re-audit, presented here, has shown that the introduction of the protocol has resulted in all infected patients receiving adequate treatment and partner notification with minimal use of doctor time or disruption of routine GUM services. We suggest that our system is effective and could be extended to other clinics where chlamydia screening is carried out.