Efficiency and cost saving of 7 day per week exercise testing utilizing all electrocardiography technologists

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Exercise testing (ET) is typically limited to weekdays, causing management delays and increased costs.
• Electrocardiography technologists (ECGT) are available for extended hours, presenting an opportunity to optimize ET laboratory efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the clinical utility and cost savings of implementing 7-day-per-week exercise testing using ECGT.
• To improve the efficiency of the exercise testing laboratory by extending service hours.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 810 exercise tests performed by trained ECGT between January 1995 and December 1997.
• Assessment of clinical utility and cost savings for patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease.

Main Results:

• 806 out of 810 patients (99.5%) completed the Bruce protocol.
• Complications were minimal (0.1%), with no acute myocardial infarctions or deaths.
• Significant cost savings were achieved: 158 bed days for inpatients and 15 bed days for emergency department patients.

Conclusions:

• Utilizing ECGT for exercise testing is feasible and safe, effectively extending laboratory service hours.
• This strategy leads to efficient patient management and considerable cost savings for hospitals.
• Extending ET services with ECGT optimizes resource utilization and patient care pathways.