Study site emergency department provider reports of live environment arrhythmias detected through telemetry system and impact on patient disposition
| Program phase | Date | Patient presentation | Live arrhythmia detected on telemetry* | Method of arrhythmia detection; detector | Impact of telemetry information on patient disposition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-intervention | No reports or data recorded | ||||
| Intervention Implementation(Interim) | November 2010 | Elderly patient with constipation | Rapid AFib (150–170 bpm, SBP 90 mm Hg) | Central telemetry display; physician | Transfer to critical care ED area; admission location not recorded |
| January 2011 | Not recorded | Rapid AFib | Central telemetry display; physician | Transfer to critical care ED area; admission location not recorded | |
| May 2011 | Not recorded | Sinus pause | Central telemetry display; physician | Transfer to critical care ED area; admission location not recorded | |
| Young patient with chest pain (prior to evaluation by physicians) | NSVT | Central telemetry display; physician | Transfer to critical care ED area; admission to intermediate cardiac care unit | ||
| June 2011 | Syncope | VT | Central telemetry display; physician | Transfer to critical care ED area; admission to medical floor with telemetry | |
| August 2011 | Not recorded | SB (30 bpm) | Central telemetry display; physician | Transfer to critical care ED area; admission to intermediate cardiac care unit | |
| Post-intervention | March 2012 | Elderly patient with weakness and dyspnoea | VT | Distributed telemetry display; physician | Transfer to critical care ED area; admission to intermediate cardiac care unit |
| April 2012 | Not recorded | Rapid AFib | Distributed telemetry display; nurse | Not recorded | |
| April 2012 | Elderly patient with syncope | Sinus pause (>30 s) | Central telemetry display; physician | Transfer to critical care ED area; admission to medical floor with telemetry | |
* Arrhythmias detected by study investigators not included in table data. Unless shown, rate, duration and other parameter data were not reported.
AFib, atrial fibrillation; bpm, beats per minute; ED, emergency department; NSVT, non-sustained ventricular tachycardia; SB, sinus bradycardia; SBP, systolic blood pressure; VT, ventricular tachycardia.