Enhancing patient outcomes: Integrating electronic cardiology consultation in primary care for cancer patients

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of cancer patients with concomitant cardiovascular (CV) disease is on the rise due to improved cancer prognoses. The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term outcomes of cancer patients referred to a cardiology department (CD) via primary care using e-consultation.

METHODS

We analysed data from cancer patients with prior referrals to a CD between 2010 and 2021 (n = 6889) and compared two care models: traditional in-person consultations and e-consultations. In e-consultation model, cardiologists reviewed electronic health records (e-consultation) to determine whether the demand could be addressed remotely or necessitated an in-person consultation. We used an interrupted time series regression model to assess outcomes during the two periods: (1) time to cardiology consultation, (2) rates of all-cause and CV related hospital admissions and (3) rates of all-cause and CV-related mortality within the first year after the initial consultation or e-consultation at the CD.

RESULTS

Introduction of e-consultation for cancer patients referred to cardiology care led to a 51.8% reduction (95%CI: 51.7%-51.9%) in waiting times. Furthermore, we observed decreased 1-year incidence rates, with incidence rate ratios (iRRs) [IC95%] of .75 [.73-.77] for CV-related hospitalizations, .43 [.42-.44] for all-cause hospitalizations, and .87 [.86-.88] for all-cause mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to traditional in-person consultations, an outpatient care program incorporating e-consultation for cancer patients significantly reduced waiting times for cardiology care and demonstrated safety, associated with lower rates of hospital admissions.

Gender differences on healthcare accessibility and outcomes of a electronic inter-clinician consultation program at the cardiology department in a Galician Health Area

AIMS

To assess the longer-term results (hospital admissions and mortality) in women versus men referred to a cardiology department from primary care using an e-consultation in our outpatient care programme.

METHODS

We selected 61,306 patients (30,312 women and 30,994 men) who visited the cardiology service at least once between 2010 and 2021: 69.1% (19,997 women and 20,462 men) were attended in e-consultation (from 2013 to 2021) and 30.9% (8920 women and 9136 men) in in-person consultations (from 2010 to 2012) without gender differences in the proportion of patients attended in each period. Using an interrupted time series regression model, we analysed the impact of incorporating e-consultation into the healthcare model and evaluated the elapsed time to cardiology care, heart failure (HF), cardiovascular (CV), and all-cause hospital admissions and mortality during the one-year after cardiology consultation.

RESULTS

The introduction of e-consultation substantially decreased waiting times to cardiology care; during the in-person consultation period, the mean delay for cardiology care was 57.9 (24.8) days in men and 55.8 (22.8) days in women. During the e-consultation period, the waiting time to cardiology care was markedly reduced to 9.41 (4.02) days in men and 9.46 (4.18) in women. After e-consultation implantation, there was a significant reduction in the 1-year rate of hospital admissions and mortality, both in women and men iRR [IC 95%]: 0.95 [0.93-0.96] for HF, 0.90 [0.89-0.91] for CV and 0.70 [0.69-0.71] for all-cause hospitalization; and 0.93 [0.92-0.95] for HF, 0.86 [0.86-0.87] for CV and 0.88 [0.87-0.89] for all-cause mortality in women; and 0.91 [0.89-0.92] for HF, 0.90 [0.89-0.91] for CV and 0.72 [0.71-0.73] for all-cause hospitalization; and 0.96 [0.93-0.97] for HF, 0.87 [95% CI: 0.86-0.87] for CV and 0.87 [0.86-0.87] for all-cause mortality, in men.

CONCLUSION

Compared with the in-person consultation period, an outpatient care programme that includes an e-consultation significantly reduced waiting time to cardiology care and was safe, with a lower rate of hospital admissions and mortality in the first year, without significative gender differences.

[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic above a universal electronic consultation program (e-consultation) between general practitioners and cardiologists]

Blackground and objective

Virtual healthcare models, usually between healthcare professionals and patients, have developed strongly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but there are not data of models between clinicians. Our objective is to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the activity and health outcomes of the universal e-consultation program for patient referrals between primary care physicians and the Cardiology Department in our area.

Methods

Patients with at least one e-consultation between 2018 and 2021 were selected. We analysed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on activity and waiting time for care, hospitalizations and mortality, taking as a reference the consultations carried out during 2018.

Results

We analysed 25,121 patients. Through logistic regression analysis, it was observed that a shorter delay in care and resolution of the e-consultation without the need for face-to-face care were associated with a better prognosis. The COVID-19 pandemic periods (2019-2020 and 2020-2021) were not associated with worse health outcomes compared to 2018.

Conclusions

The results of our study show a significant reduction in e-consult referrals during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic with a subsequent recovery in the demand for care without the pandemic periods being associated with worse outcomes. The reduction in the time elapsed for solving the e-consult and no need for in-person visit were associated with better outcomes.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon a universal electronic consultation program (e-consultation) between general practitioners and cardiologists

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Virtual healthcare models, usually between healthcare professionals and patients, have developed strongly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but there are no data corresponding to models between clinicians. An analysis was made of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon the activity and health outcomes of the universal e-consultation program for patient referrals between primary care physicians and the Cardiology Department in our healthcare area.

METHODS

Patients with at least one e-consultation between 2018 and 2021 were selected. We analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon activity and waiting time for care, hospitalizations and mortality, taking as reference the consultations carried out during 2018.

RESULTS

A total of 25,121 patients were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis showed a shorter delay in care and resolution of the e-consultation without the need for face-to-face care to be associated to a better prognosis. The COVID-19 pandemic periods (2019-2020 and 2020-2021) were not associated to poorer health outcomes compared to 2018.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of our study show a significant reduction in e-consultation referrals during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a subsequent recovery in the demand for care, and without the pandemic periods being associated to poorer outcomes. The reduction in time elapsed for resolving the e-consultations and no need for face-to-face visits were associated to improved outcomes.

The impact of inter-clinician electronic consultation in patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation in primary care

BACKGROUND

An early diagnosis and early initiation of oral anticoagulants (OAC) are main determinants for outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Inter-clinician electronic consultations (e-consultations) program for the general practitioner referrals to cardiologist may improve health care access by reducing the elapsed time for cardiology care.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of a reduced elapsed time to care after a inter-clinician e-consultations program implementation (2013-2019) in comparison with previous in-person consultation (2010-2012) in the outpatient health care management in a Cardiology Department.

METHODOLOGY

We included 10,488 patients with AF from 1 January 2010, to 31 December 2019. Until 2012, all patients attended an in-person consultation (2010-2012). In 2013, we instituted an e-consult program (2013-2019) for all primary care referrals to cardiologists that preceded patient's in-person consultation when considered. The shared electronic patient dossier (EPD) was available between GP and cardiologist, and any change in therapy advice from cardiologist was directly implemented in this EPD.

RESULTS

During the e-consultation period (2013-2019) were referred 6627 patients by GPs to cardiology versus 3861 during the in-person consultation (2010-2012). The e-consultation implementation was associated with a reduction in the elapsed time to anticoagulation prescription (177.6 ± 8.9 vs. 22.5 ± 8.1 days, p < .001), and an increase of OAC use (61% [95% IC: 19.6%-102.4%], p < .001). The e-consult program implementation was associated with a reduction in the 1-year CV mortality (.48 [95% CI: .30-.75]) and all-cause mortality (.42 [95% CI: .29-.62]). The OAC reduces the stroke mortality (.15 [95% CI: .06-.39]) and CV mortality (.43 [95% CI: .29-.62]) and all-cause mortality (.23 [95% CI: .17-.31]).

CONCLUSION

A shared EPD-based inter-clinician e-consultation program significantly reduced the elapsed time for cardiology consultation and initiation of OAC. The implementation of this program was associated with a lower risk of stroke and cardiovascular/all-cause mortality.

Comparison and Validation of Recommended QT Interval Correction Formulas for Predicting Cardiac Arrhythmias in Patients With Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Resynchronization Devices

QT interval prolongation is an important marker for the development of cardiac arrhythmias (CAs). Optimal methods to estimate QT/QTc intervals in patients with ventricular pacing (VP) and its correlation with CA have not been widely investigated. We aimed to validate the currently available formulas for QT determination during VP and to compare their abilities in predicting the occurrence of CA (atrial fibrillation [AF] and malignant ventricular arrhythmias [VAs] in patients with advanced heart failure and cardiac resynchronization therapy). Consecutive patients with advanced heart failure who underwent cardiac resynchronization therapy implantation between August 2001 and April 2015 were included in a retrospective study. Four proposed formulas for QT correction in VP rhythms were evaluated. One hundred eighty patients were enrolled. During 44 months of follow-up, 43 patients (37.7%) developed AF and 16 patients (8.9%) developed VA. There was no correlation between corrected QT increments and AF risk with any of the formulas for paced rhythms. Regarding VA, higher corrected QT values measured with Massachusetts' formula (QTcM) were found to have a higher risk of event (p = 0.036) (Beta = 1.012 [1.001 to 1.023]). Each 1 ms increase in QTc increased the probability of experiencing VA by 12‰. QTcM >444 was found to be a strong predictor of VA. In conclusion, there are significant differences in mean QTc interval measured by the currently advised formulas. QTc interval was not associated with AF in any of the formulas. Only the QTcM formula showed a significant stepwise increase in the risk of experiencing malignant VA.