Outreach clinic delivers cardiac care to heart attack hot spots in the Riverina

An outreach clinic in the Riverina is aiming to help identify patients at risk of heart failure in one of Australia’s heart attack hot spots.

The Outreach Heart Failure Diagnostic Clinic offers affordable access to screening, diagnostic and specialist assessment at no cost to the patient.

Clinical Nurse Consultant Anitha Stanley from Murrumbidgee Local Health District’s (MLHD) Chronic Respiratory and Heart Failure Team said it was a great way to make expert care accessible.

“We hear regularly from patients that they are appreciative of having access to diagnostic intervention in a timely manner, without them having to worry about travelling away from their homes,” she said.

“We are pleased the clinic is now going to be travelling to even more district communities.”

Sixteen clinics have been held across the Riverina including in Lake Cargelligo, Temora, Narrandera, Tumut, and Holbrook, with more to come in Harden, West Wyalong and Hay.

In 2020, the Riverina was dubbed the nation’s “heart attack capital” after figures from the Heart Foundation showed that the number of locals admitted to hospital for cardiac arrest was almost double the average.

The Heart Foundation’s “Heart Map” figures showed that people in the Riverina were admitted to hospital for heart attacks at a rate of 21.5 per 10,000 people compared to the state average of 14.5.

Data from NSW in 2022/23 shows that the average had increased to 15.3 while figures in the Murrumbidgee remained virtually unchanged.

The Heart Foundation report suggested that prioritising early detection and management would save lives and avoid hospitalisation but highlighted that “people living in rural and remote locations were most frequently mentioned as experiencing clinical barriers”.

MLHD’s Director of Integrated Care and Allied Health, Emma Field said the mobile clinic was a positive step forward.

“Early diagnosis aims to improve patient experience, outcomes, and quality of life, while reducing preventable emergency department presentations,” she said.

“The Outreach Heart Failure Clinic is testament to the power of collaboration and innovation that has resulted in the delivery of high-quality healthcare to patients right across the district.”

The Outreach Heart Failure Clinic was established as a partnership between MLHD and Roy Cardiology in December 2022 and has been expanded with the help of Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network and Wagga’s Riverina Cardiology.

In its first 12 months, 22 per cent of patients who attended the clinic were diagnosed with heart failure, with 18 per cent identified as avoiding hospitalisation.

In 2023, Associate Professor Andrew Roy, of Roy Cardiology (St Vincent’s Network) said he was pleased with the progress they had made.

“The Outreach Heart Failure Diagnostic Clinic showcases the transformative potential of collaborative healthcare models,” he said.

“By bridging gaps in access and expertise, bringing specialists together with the communities that need support, we are not only diagnosing conditions but also empowering patients to take control of their health journey.”

Regional Health Minister Ryan Park said it was a highly successful initiative.

“It is pleasing to see even more regional and rural communities are set to benefit from expert care through the expansion of the Outreach Heart Failure Diagnostic Clinic,” he said.

“This clinic has already clearly demonstrated patients who are identified as being at elevated risk, or who are showing symptoms of heart failure, are able to access early diagnostic intervention without having to travel and without any cost to the patient.”

MLHD is continuing to expand the initiative and is looking for additional communities in Murrumbidgee to host clinics.