HEART Pathway Accelerated Diagnostic Protocol Implementation: Prospective Pre-Post Interrupted Time Series Design and Methods.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Most patients presenting to US Emergency Departments (ED) with chest pain are hospitalized for comprehensive testing. These evaluations cost the US health system >$10 billion annually, but have a diagnostic yield for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) of <10%. The history/ECG/age/risk factors/troponin (HEART) Pathway is an accelerated diagnostic protocol (ADP), designed to improve care for patients with acute chest pain by identifying patients for early ED discharge. Prior efficacy studies demonstrate that the HEART Pathway safely reduces cardiac testing, while maintaining an acceptably low adverse event rate.

Objective

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of HEART Pathway ADP implementation within a health system.

Methods

This controlled

SUBMITTER: Mahler SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4744329 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature