Diagnostic Testing Procedures in Cardiology - the Royal Cornwall ...

6.21. For outpatient procedures, requests are e-mailed to the Cardiology Outpatient
Booking Office generic e-mail address cardiology.outpatient@rcht.cornwall.nhs.uk.
Urgent requests are coloured red to distinguish them.
6.22. For outpatient 24 hour tapes, BP monitors, event monitors, letters are copied by
e-mail to the Cardiac Physiology Department and paper copies are taken to the
Department daily. Urgent requests may be e-mailed to
mandie.leggatt@rcht.cornwall.nhs.uk.
6.23. For inpatient/daycase procedures, requests are e-mailed to the Cardiology
Inpatient Booking Office generic e-mail address
cardiology.elective@rcht.cornwall.nhs.uk. Urgent requests are coloured red to
distinguish them.
6.24. How the person requesting the test is informed of test results
6.25. In respect of tests requested by consultant cardiologists or members of their
teams, it is acknowledged that this part of the diagnostic process requires revision to
ensure that every result is communicated to the person who requests the test without
delay and in a format that flags the availability of the result and records any delay in
expert review of the result. Currently, various methodologies are employed within the
different consultant firms to facilitate timely review.
6.26. For echocardiographs ordered direct by GPs, the Cardiac Technicians send
results directly to them.
6.27. For patients referred to the Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic, clinic nurses send
letters to GPs on the day of attendance.
6.28. In all cases, results requiring urgent action are drawn to the attention of the
requestor or, if the requestor is unavailable, to the Cardiologist of the Week.
6.29. How the patient is informed of test results
6.30. Patients must be made aware of the reason for tests being requested and the
approximate timescale and communication method for availability of the results so
that they may request an update on results as necessary. Results which have
significant implications for the patient must be discussed with them in the appropriate
timescale.
6.31. There is an expectation that patients are informed of results by the requesting
clinician in a timely fashion. It is the responsibility of the requestor to consider how,
when and what to tell the patient.
6.32. The mechanisms and timescales for informing patients of results are the
responsibility of the requesting clinician but may include, according to the nature of
the test, availability of result and the significance of the result:
• telling patients (face to face or, with the consent of the patient, by telephone);
• writing to patients;
• discussing with patients at outpatient or pre-operative assessment clinics;
• writing to the patient’s GP;
• adding to a discharge summary letter.
Diagnostic Testing Procedures in Cardiology
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