United Kingdom · Monitoring · 2023 A nurse-led post-ablation pathway at the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre
Patients received seven-day FibriCheck prescriptions before their 3- and 12-month post-ablation appointments, creating a nurse-led, digitally enabled pathway that replaced ECGs and Holters.
Objective
To turn the post-atrial-fibrillation-ablation follow-up at the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre into a nurse-led, digitally enabled pathway, replacing routine 12-lead ECGs and Holter monitors.
Approach
Patients were given seven-day FibriCheck prescriptions before their 3- and 12-month appointments following an ablation to treat atrial fibrillation. The lead arrhythmia nurse reviewed a summary of each patient’s heart rate, rhythm, and symptoms before the in-person appointment, which supported clear clinical decisions.
Outcome
Of 147 patients, FibriCheck detected atrial fibrillation recurrence in 39 (26.5%), about 1 in 4. Across these 147 patients, the pathway avoided an estimated 147 ECGs and 55 seven-day Holters, for about £19,040 in net savings and 73.5 outpatient clinic hours.
Projected to a 500-patient cohort, the same pathway would avoid an estimated 500 ECGs and 187 seven-day Holters, for about £64,762 in net savings and 250 outpatient clinic hours.
By replacing ECGs and Holter devices with a digitally enabled pathway led by arrhythmia nurses, the centre delivered direct financial and time savings and freed up service capacity.
Recognition
The project was presented at the Heart Rhythm Society experience (HRX), selected as a top-5 abstract, and won a global cardiovascular award in the digital innovation category.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have won the Digital Innovation award. It’s a reflection of outstanding work by the team and the real difference that FibriCheck has made in improving patient care quality.”
Sharon Toora, Lead Arrhythmia Nurse Specialist, Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust