QJM : monthly journal of the Association of Physicians
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Rapid access cardiology clinics provide a rapid assessment and evaluation of patients with suspected chest pain, heart failure or cardiac arrhythmia. Longitudinal data regarding the attendances and clinical diagnoses at rapid access clinics is lacking and may provide insight into their efficiency and role in providing a comprehensive referral service for primary care. ⋯ Referrals have increased to our service which suggests that demand for a rapid access cardiology service remains high and the proportion of patients diagnosed with significant cardiac disease has remained constant. Despite considerable motivation towards providing primary based care this has not occurred in our local area and we believe this shows that our model, based in secondary care to be both efficient and accessible to local GPs and patients.