With the assistance of high quality and innovative technology, the Tele-Cardiac Investigations (T-CI) team is utilising Telehealth to facilitate the cardiac investigations of Holter monitoring and exercise stress testing to rural and remote hospitals across Queensland. Specialist cardiology support is provided throughout testing to ensure rural and remote patients are receiving early access to testing followed by rapid reporting and prompt follow up, where required.
Queensland Tele-Cardiac Investigations (T-CI) Program
Initiative Type
System Improvement
Status
Sustained
Added
13 November 2020
Last updated
21 December 2020
Summary
Key dates
Nov 2020
Jun 2022
Implementation sites
North West HHS Mount Isa Base Hospital Cloncurry Community Health Centre Julia Creek Hospital Camooweal PHC Doomadgee Hospital Mornington Island Hospital Normanton Hospital Central West HHS Longreach Hospital Iningai CHC Boulia PHC Windorah Clinic Winton
Partnerships
The T-CI Program have been supported by Clinical Excellence Queensland (CEQ) since its inception. CEQ funded the project for the three year ‘project’ period and have continued to fund the program ongoing. The assistance from our Telehealth Coordinator
Aim
To enable access to specialist cardiac investigations of Holter monitoring and exercise stress testing to all Queenslanders, regardless of geographical location.
Benefits
- Same day access to Holter monitoring and exercise stress testing
- Increased testing capacity
- Proven increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) patient uptake
- Decreased wait times to access testing
- Decreased time to reporting (immediate reporting of exercise stress testing via electronic signature and same day reporting of Holter monitors).
- Reduced requirement for patients to travel to access specialist cardiac investigations with associated cost saving for both the hospital and health service and the patient.
- Rural medical team supported by T-CI Advanced Trainee Cardiology Registrar to provide guidance and recommendations, where required.
Background
The urban-rural disparity is strongly evident in Australian rural communities, with a higher prevalence, incidence and deaths from cardiovascular disease, with limited access to cardiac investigations being a major contributor.
Our aim was to assess whether a Tele-Cardiac Investigations (T-CI) team, located at a tertiary facility (Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH)), could conduct ‘live’ exercise stress testing (EST) and Holter monitoring (HM) at rural facilities, via Telehealth, to support local rural clinicians. Having listened to our rural colleagues and their consumers, it was our intent to reduce this urban-rural disparity by improving access, reducing waiting times, reducing reporting times, decreasing patient travel, reducing costs and closing the gap for First Nations People.
