Staff at Shuswap Lake General Hospital have found ways to reduce wait times for patients in need of cardiovascular concerns.
Dr. Laurie Main, a general internist at the Salmon Arm hospital, and Chris Crawford, the hospital's clinical operations manager, saw a need for urgent change as patients in need of essential heart assessments like stress tests and Holter monitoring were facing extensive wait times.
In a video shared by Interior Health, Main explained people would come into the emergency room with chest pain, and would need a stress test to make sure it's not a heart attack or angina. She said what was happening is those people would go home, having no idea of what's going on with their heart, and "wait weeks on end" before receiving the needed testing.
For high priority patients, there's a mandated maximum two-week wait time, explained Crawford, adding "we were at four weeks."
Recognizing the wait times posed a significant risk for the area's aging population (according to Interior Health, seniors aged 65 and older represent 30.4 per cent of Salmon Arm's population, while the the national average of 19 per cent), Main and Crawford collaborated with the health authority's Physician Quality Improvement initiative and a dedicated local team to address the root causes of delays. That includes equipment shortages, inconsistent booking practices and stretched-thin cardiology technologists, reads an Interior Health media release.
"Their solution was comprehensive and innovative," said Interior Health, explaining wait times were reduced through "standardizing scheduling, optimizing test protocols and allowing flexible test modalities."
Going from eight to 20 Holter monitors, the hospital saw a 22.9 per cent reduction in wait times for Holter testing, and increased capacity for stress testing by 44 per cent, all within a period of four months. Patients are now able to get tested within days.
"This initiative not only met but exceeded their ambitious goal of a 30% reduction in wait times by May 2024, allowing patients to receive crucial testing within days instead of weeks," said IH.
"The success of this initiative is a testament to the power of community collaboration and innovative thinking. SLGH has transformed its cardiovascular care into a model of efficiency and patient-centred service, restoring trust and ensuring better health outcomes for the residents of the Shuswap."
