Postgraduate medical journal
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Comparative Study
An audit of activity and outcome from a daily and a weekly "one stop" rapid assessment chest pain clinic.
The recent National Service Framework for coronary heart disease advocates the establishment of rapid assessment clinics for chest pain. But how should these clinics be organised and do they fulfil their objectives? The aim of this study was to compare referral patterns to a daily and a weekly "one stop" rapid access chest pain clinic (RACPC), and to examine clinical outcome in patients attending these clinics. ⋯ (1) RACPCs do provide an effective tool for the early assessment of patients with possible angina. (2) The frequency with which clinics are scheduled may be an important factor in determining how the service is utilised in practice.