Heart clinic comes to Hay

The Outreach Heart Failure Diagnostic Clinic is a public private partnership funded under COAG 19(2) and recently travelled to Hay.

This initiative aims to ensure that patients who are identified as elevated risk and/or symptoms of heart failure have timely access to screening and assessment.

It also allows along access to diagnostics including echocardiography (an ultrasound of the heart), with no cost to the patient.

This early detection, assessment and management of heart failure aims to optimise heart failure management within the community, improve quality of life and reduce preventable Emergency Department presentations and hospital admissions. It was the first time the clinic was held in Hay and was hosted by Hay Medical Centre. Due to demand, it was held over two days.

Patients not only received comprehensive clinical assessments and ECHOs, they were also linked in with other services, taking a holistic patient centred approach to health care.

Following the clinic, the Transitional Nurse Practitioner remained in contact with the clients to ensure plans are actioned.

This is being facilitated either by a visit to a community-based clinic close to the client’s home or through telehealth.

Feedback from the clinic in Hay included appreciation for specialist clinicians willing to travel to Hay, reducing the burden and associated costs of travel to see specialist clinicians, no cost to patient, along with the holistic approach to their care.

Feedback to the local clinicians from the Outreach Heart Failure Diagnostic Clinic team is of immense gratitude to General Practitioner, Dr Shahzad for interest in hosting the clinic, the support from multiple people with logistics related to facilitating the two days, facilitating requirements such as patient assessments, pathology and appointments prior to the clinic, and being made feel so very welcome.