Distribution, infrastructure, and expertise of heart failure and cardio-oncology clinics in a developing network: temporal evolution and challenges during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
ESC Heart Fail
; 7(6): 3408-3413, 2020 12.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-833873
ABSTRACT
The Hellenic Heart Failure Association has undertaken the initiative to develop a national network of heart failure clinics (HFCs) and cardio-oncology clinics (COCs). We conducted two questionnaire surveys among these clinics within 17 months and another during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak to assess adjustments of the developing network to the pandemic. Out of 68 HFCs comprising the network, 52 participated in the first survey and 55 in the second survey. The median number of patients assessed per week is 10. Changes in engaged personnel were encountered between the two surveys, along with increasing use of advanced echocardiographic techniques (23.1% in 2018 vs. 34.5% in 2020). Drawbacks were encountered, concerning magnetic resonance imaging and ergospirometry use (being available in 14.6% and 29% of HFCs, respectively), exercise rehabilitation programmes (applied only in 5.5%), and telemedicine applications (used in 16.4%). There are 13 COCs in the country with nine of them in the capital region; the median number of patients being assessed per week is 10. Platforms for virtual consultations and video calls are used in 38.5%. Coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak affected provision of HFC services dramatically as only 18.5% continued to function regularly, imposing hurdles that need to be addressed, at least temporarily, possibly by alternative methods of follow-up such as remote consultation. The function of COCs, in contrast, seemed to be much less affected during the pandemic (77% of them continued to follow up their patients). This staged, survey-based procedure may serve as a blueprint to help building national HFC/COC networks and provides the means to address changes during healthcare crises.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Cancer Care Facilities
/
Cardiac Care Facilities
/
Delivery of Health Care
/
COVID-19
/
Heart Failure
/
Heart Neoplasms
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
ESC Heart Fail
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
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