Clinicians at a Rapid Access Cardiology Clinic in NSW are to investigate whether use of the My Health Record can reduce repeat testing, prevent unnecessary admissions for chest pain patients and provide more seamless care between hospital and primary care.

A pilot trial the Rapid Access Cardiology Clinic at Westmead Hospital, Sydney will see doctors access the My Health Record of low to intermediate risk chest pain patients when they present and use the information within the record to make quicker diagnoses and treatment decisions.

Supported by the Australian Digital Health Agency, the test site will explore how My Health Record can support risk stratification of patients referred to the Rapid Access Cardiology Clinic, reduce duplicate testing, and support better communication among healthcare providers via the system’s shared healthy summary function.

The ADHA said it was expected the MHR would reduce the number of admission to hospital. When appropriate, patients who attend a RACC may be given a management plan and allowed to go home without having to enter the hospital, saving emergency medical staff from admitting patients, organising urgent cardiologist assessments in the community and referring to GPs.

“The study will attempt to understand and address existing barriers to the seamless flow of information along the patient journey and among healthcare providers. The results will be used to scope the feasibility of an innovative, cardiology-specific application that is populated with information from My Health Record to optimise patient care,” according to an ADHA statement.

“Our study aims to provide greater accessibility to the information needed to better treat all Australians suffering chest pain, and to safely divert people with non‐acute chest pain from being admitted to hospital,” said Professor Clara Chow, Professor of Medicine, Academic Director, Westmead Applied Research Centre, at University of Sydney.