How the Cardiac Care System Works

1

Patient & Physician: Mutual Decision for Treatment



Physician Role
1. Provide all data specified on the standard referral form
2. Inform the patient of options for timely access to care

Patient Role
1. Enquire about wait time at referring Centre
2. Request information on options for timely access to care
3. Review the CCN brochure with your MD, RCCC and/or family member
2

Physician Completes CCN Standard Referral Form


Referral Form

The Cardiac Centre and Regional Cardiac Care Coordinator (RCCC) require the information on the referral form to calculate a priority score for you and a recommended maximum wait time for your specific procedure. The RCC at the cardiac centre will advise you on the approximate wait time for your cardiac procedure and give you advice for other options that may be available.
3

Regional Coordinator at Cardiac Centre


Regional Cardiac Care Coordinator Role
  1. Receives all referrals and schedules the patient’s procedure based on priority derived from the data provided on the referral form.
  2. Sends information to the patient explaining timely access to care options.
  3. Communicates with patients regarding changes in their clinical status, wait time and procedure booking date.
  4. Communicates with referring physicians and hospital cardiologists/surgeons regarding patient clinical and wait time status.
  5. Monitors patients to ensure they do not exceed a maximum recommended wait time for their procedure and priority.
  6. Monitors service availability and facilitates patient transfer to another centre for timely access to care.
4

Data entry into Provincial Registry



CCN Advanced Adult Cardiac Care Database

  1. Monitors and reports wait times for all Ontario patients waiting for advanced cardiac services.
  2. Identifies all patients waiting beyond their recommended maximum wait times.
5

Patient Prioritization


Cardiac Priority Score

  1. All patients referred for an advanced cardiac procedure are prioritized based on data provided by their physician.
  2. The prioritization is a guideline that determines the patient’s recommended maximum wait time for each procedure.
  3. Patients are monitored by the RCCC to ensure they do not wait beyond their recommended maximum wait time.
6

Patient Treatment


This flow chart depicts how a cardiac patient is managed starting with their initial physician referral to seeing the cardiac specialist, being booked and having their cardiac procedure.


Click here to view the "Patient Access Management Process"

Did you know that all Patients have options regarding the treatment they receive?


Although you are on a waiting list for a particular centre, there may be a shorter wait for your procedure at one of our 18 centres performing advanced cardiac services. You can ask your doctor or local Regional Cardiac Care Coordinator to provide you with options and knowledge of the closest centre with the shortest wait time. Our patient brochure, has a listing of all cardiac centres and contact numbers in Ontario

CCN works with advanced cardiac service hospitals to:

  1. Ensure that the more urgent your condition, the sooner you will receive care. Your medical information is used to assign priority.
  2. Provide you with education about your condition and support during your wait.
  3. Monitor changes in your condition while you wait.
  4. Inform you of wait times and your options for receiving timely care across the Province.
  5. Maintain quality patient data in the CCN database.
  6. Evaluate and improve quality cardiac care by applying research and best practices.

CCN's Ambassadors Across Ontario

Regional Cardiac Care Coordinators (RCCC) are available in all advanced cardiac centres and can help referring physicians access cardiac care. All cardiac centres offer cardiac catheterization. Many centres also offer angioplasty and/or cardiac surgery. Those centres usually have more than one RCCC.

Regional Cardiac Care Coordinators provide information and facilitate physician-to-physician communication. They also do the following when a patient is accepted for a cardiac catheterization, angioplasty or surgery procedure:
  • see that the patient is registered on the CCN computer system, where the security and confidentiality of all information are strictly protected;
  • help to provide non-emergency patients with information by mail and/or by phone for the period before their procedure; and
  • work with the patient's cardiac specialist, referring physician(s) and hospital staff to monitor patients at home and in hospital until their procedure.

The scheduling of cardiac procedures is done by the cardiologist, surgeon and/or cath-lab booking office, which will make arrangements with the patient.

Patients or their family members may also contact RCCC's in their hospital if they have questions about the Cardiac Care Network, its patient registry or access to advanced cardiac services.




 

CCN benefits patients and family members by providing information, resources and facts on adult cardiac care and access to cardiac care treatment centres throughout the province.

In addition to helping to plan, coordinate, implement and evaluate cardiovascular care in Ontario, CCN is responsible for developing, maintaining and reporting on the provincial cardiac wait list registry for all patients waiting for selected adult advanced cardiac procedures.

In the role of monitoring and enhancing the quality, equity and access of cardiac services in Ontario, CCN develops strategies, based on best practices, to better manage cardiovascular disease across the continuum of care, including strategies to prevent acute hospital readmissions, decrease demand on emergency departments and decrease the need for initial and repeat procedures.

Information