biostudies-literatureJones BAustralian Medical Research Futures Fund Cardiovascular Health MissionWellcome Senior FellowshipEdwards Life SciencesRotary Club of KiamaNHMRC PhD ScholarshipRhodes TrustMedtronic AustralasiaNational Health and Medical Research CouncilHumpty Dumpty FoundationWellcome Truste083467https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11492941biostudies-literatureUnknown14(10)<h4>Introduction</h4>Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is underdiagnosed globally resulting in missed treatment opportunities and adverse clinical outcomes. We describe the protocol for a study which aims to co-design, implement and conduct an evaluation of a task-sharing approach to echocardiographic active case finding for early detection and management of RHD in high-risk settings in Australia and Timor-Leste.<h4>Methods and analysis</h4>Echocardiograms will be obtained by trained local staff using hand-held echocardiographic devices employing the 'Single Parasternal Long Axis view with a Sweep of the Heart' (SPLASH) technique and interpreted by experts remote from the site of acquisition. Approximately 1500 children and pregnant women will be screened across high-risk communities in AustraBMJ openNEARER SCAN (LENO BESIK) evaluation of a task-sharing echocardiographic active case finding programme for rheumatic heart disease in Australia and Timor-Leste: protocol for a hybrid type II effectiveness-implementation study.PMC11492941GNT2005316GNT1194707GNT2015869207522Brown AHillis GSteer ACarapetis JHaynes EPears CSlota-Kan SMaurays JJones BNeave JBurgess PMorris PGilles MNagraj SStewart MWade VCannon JWTanesi MWilliamson JEnglish MUnger HYan JEngelman DWheaton GNeto Hde Dassel JKaethner ACanuto KCurrie BJFrancis JRMarangou JMonteiro AFAmaral SSeixas HHoward NJMitchell ABailey MRemenyi BSimon DRalph AKatzenellenbogen JMfalseNEARER SCAN (LENO BESIK) evaluation of a task-sharing echocardiographic active case finding programme for rheumatic heart disease in Australia and Timor-Leste: protocol for a hybrid type II effectiveness-implementation study.<h4>Introduction</h4>Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is underdiagnosed globally resulting in missed treatment opportunities and adverse clinical outcomes. We describe the protocol for a study which aims to co-design, implement and conduct an evaluation of a task-sharing approach to echocardiographic active case finding for early detection and management of RHD in high-risk settings in Australia and Timor-Leste.<h4>Methods and analysis</h4>Echocardiograms will be obtained by trained local staff using hand-held echocardiographic devices employing the 'Single Parasternal Long Axis view with a Sweep of the Heart' (SPLASH) technique and interpreted by experts remote from the site of acquisition. Approximately 1500 children and pregnant women will be screened across high-risk communities in Austra2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Oct2026-07-15T04:11:58.278Z2025-04-04T00:29:43.109ZS-EPMC114929413942438010.1136/bmjopen-2023-083467