Dataset Information

Improved prehospital triage for acute cardiac care: results from HART-c, a multicentre prospective study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cardiac symptoms are one of the most prevalent reasons for emergency department visits. However, over 80% of patients with such symptoms are sent home after acute cardiovascular disease has been ruled out.

Objective

The Hollands-Midden Acute Regional Triage-cardiology (HART-c) study aimed to investigate whether a novel prehospital triage method, combining prehospital and hospital data with expert consultation, could increase the number of patients who could safely stay at home after emergency medical service (EMS) consultation.

Methods

The triage method combined prehospital EMS data, such as electrocardiographic and vital parameters in real time, and data from regional hospitals (including previous medical records and admission capacity) with expert consultation. During the 6‑month intervention and control periods 1536 and 1376 patients, respectively, were consulted by the EMS. The primary endpoint was the percentage change of patients who could stay at home after EMS consultation.

Results

The novel triage method led to a significant increase in patients who could safely stay at home, 11.8% in the intervention group versus 5.9% in the control group: odds ratio 2.31 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.74-3.05). Of 181 patients staying at home, only 1 (< 1%) was later diagnosed with ACS; no patients died. Furthermore the number of interhospital transfers decreased: relative risk 0.81 (95% CI 0.67-0.97).

Conclusion

The HART‑c triage method led to a significant decrease in interhospital transfers and an increase in patients with cardiac symptoms who could safely stay at home. The presented method thereby reduced overcrowding and, if implemented throughout the country and for other medical specialties, could potentially reduce the number of cardiac and non-cardiac hospital visits even further.

SUBMITTER: de Koning ER

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10050817 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Improved prehospital triage for acute cardiac care: results from HART-c, a multicentre prospective study.

de Koning Enrico R ER Beeres Saskia L M A SLMA Bosch Jan J Backus Barbra E BE Tietge Wouter J WJ Alizadeh Dehnavi Reza R Groenwold Rolf H H RHH Silvius Allena M AM van Lierop Pepijn T S PTS Jukema J Wouter JW Schalij Martin J MJ Boogers Mark J MJ

Netherlands heart journal : monthly journal of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology and the Netherlands Heart Foundation 20230329 5

<h4>Background</h4>Cardiac symptoms are one of the most prevalent reasons for emergency department visits. However, over 80% of patients with such symptoms are sent home after acute cardiovascular disease has been ruled out.<h4>Objective</h4>The Hollands-Midden Acute Regional Triage-cardiology (HART-c) study aimed to investigate whether a novel prehospital triage method, combining prehospital and hospital data with expert consultation, could increase the number of patients who could safely stay ...[more]

PMID: 36988817

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Dataset Information

Improved prehospital triage for acute cardiac care: results from HART-c, a multicentre prospective study.

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Improved prehospital triage for acute cardiac care: results from HART-c, a multicentre prospective study.

Similar Datasets

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