Utilisation and clinical efficacy of echocardiography in a regional hospital

Abstract

To determine utilisation and clinical efficacy of echocardiography in a regional setting. Consecutive patients referred for echocardiography studied prospectively using a pro-forma to be completed before and after echocardiography. Regional hospital in New South Wales. A total of 103 consecutive patients. Utilisation and clinical efficacy of echocardiography. No significant abnormalities were detected in 41.7% of patients, but unexpected abnormalities were found in 31.1%. For 60% of pretest diagnoses there was a clinically important change in diagnostic certainty following the test and changes to treatment occurred in 30.1% of patients. A total of 19 patients with neurological events underwent echocardiography but none had cardiac thrombus demonstrated although thrombus was demonstrated in additional seven. Echocardiography appears to be used appropriately in our regional setting, resulting in major changes to diagnostic certainty and leading to alterations to treatments in almost one-third of patients. Education in relation to the use of echocardiography in patients with neurological events is warranted.