No registrations found.
ID
Source
Brief title
Health condition
Open Access Echo, Echocardiography, Heart Failure, Valvular Heart Disease, Hypertension, Health Economy
Sponsors and support
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
- Incidence of pathology,
- Differences between age groups,
- Diffrences between gender,
- Cost-effectiveness
Secondary outcome
- Health care costs,
- Incidence of cardial pathology (heart failure, valvular heart disease) at the general practitioner.
Background summary
Cardiac disease is not easy to recognize in general practice. If patients have shortness of breath, frequently a normal electrocardiogram and a normal level of brain natriuretic peptide can exclude heart failure. Unfortunately the positive predictive value of both techniques is low. Imaging can then give the clue to the correct diagnosis. Additionally it gives information about left ventricular mass and diastolic (dys)function. Also correct diagnosis of cardiac murmurs is not easy in general practice. To improve first line care of cardiac patients, an open access echocardiographic service was established in the referral area our hospital. The project started to reduce waiting lists and have more appropriate referrals to the out-patient department of cardiology for these indications. According to the existing services in the United Kingdom general practicioners were able to ask for an echocardiogram without referring the patient to the cardiologist.
Study objective
Open Access Echocardiography will reduce costs of cardiac care and will improve diagnostics and therapy in primary care
Study design
Inclusion 01-12-2002 to 01-01-2012
Data analysis: at 100 pts, 300 pts , 600 pts 1000 pts and 1500 pts
Intervention
Echocardiography
Department of Cardiology
Henri Dunantstreet 5
L.H.B. Baur
Heerlen 6401CX
The Netherlands
+31 45 5766129
Department of Cardiology
Henri Dunantstreet 5
L.H.B. Baur
Heerlen 6401CX
The Netherlands
+31 45 5766129
Inclusion criteria
1. Patients, in whom the general+ practitioner thinks, they need echocardiography, but do not need referral:
- Indications:
cardiac murmurs, dyspnea, hypertension, atrial fibrillation
Exclusion criteria
1. Patients who are controlled by a cardiologist
Design
Recruitment
Followed up by the following (possibly more current) registration
No registrations found.
Other (possibly less up-to-date) registrations in this register
No registrations found.
In other registers
| Register | ID |
|---|---|
| NTR-new | NL1186 |
| NTR-old | NTR1231 |
| Other | METC : 08-N-15 |
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN wordt niet meer aangevraagd |
Summary results
- Open access echocardiography is feasible in the Netherlands
L.H.B. Baur, L. Veenstra , T. Lenderink, C.L.B. Lodewijks - van der Bolt, R.A.G. Winkens, F.L.M. Soomers, H.E.J.H. Stoffers. Netherlands Heart Journal 2006; 14: 361-365.<br>
- The Dutch experience of open access echocardiography. C. L. B. Lodewijks-vd Bolt, LHB Baur, T. Lenderink, F. Guldemond, J. Nijhof, R. Winkens, M. Hundscheid, J. Stoffers On behalf of the working group on open access echocardiography in the Parkstad Area. Netherlands Heart Journal 2007; 15: 342-347.<br>
- Vrij toegankelijke echocardiografie is nuttige ondersteuning voor de huisarts.
LHB Baur, CLB Lodewijks-vd Bolt, T. Lenderink, HEJH Stoffers, RAG Winkens. Medisch Contact 2007: 42: 1723-1726.