Cardiovascular Prevention Clinic
Overview
Coffs Medical Centre, located on the mid-north coast of NSW, is a privately owned general practice offering a wide range of services to the local community, including family planning, men’s and women’s health, skin cancer screening, travel medicine, and chronic disease management.
Building on their strong background in chronic disease management and in response to an identified need in the community, Coffs Medical Centre established the 45-49 year old cardiovascular disease prevention clinic in July 2022. The clinic was implemented and is run by an experienced Enrolled Nurse with Registered Nurse supervision. The clinic takes a structured approach to engage with and support patients at risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Coffs Medical Centre participated in APNA’s 2022 – 2023 Building Nurse Capacity Program.
Model
The overarching aim of the cardiovascular disease prevention clinic is to increase patient awareness and prevent cardiovascular disease in the 45-49-year-old age group. Clinic patients at risk of developing cardiovascular disease were identified using a clinical software search and then were invited to attend the nurse-delivered, team-based clinic.
The clinic nurse spends one hour with the patient during the initial consult, developing rapport, conducting an initial assessment, discussing cardiovascular health, utilising health coaching skills, and assisting the GP with any required tests such as an ECG. Patients then have an appointment with the GP for any further tests, treatment or referrals required.
Following the initial appointment, patients who consented were booked in for a follow-up appointment if required and were placed on the recall system.
Outcome
There were over 40 clinic attendances during the project period, with some patients attending the clinic multiple times for review appointments. As part of the clinic assessment, patients who would benefit from additional support were referred to appropriate specialists and allied health professionals for improved health outcomes. Patients reported high levels of satisfaction with their experience at the clinic.