Cardiac Care
Wait Time Benchmarks for Cardiovascular Services and Procedures
Indication | Upper limit wait time | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Emergent | Urgent | Semi-urgent | Scheduled | |
Initial specialist consultation | Immediate to 24 h | 1 week | 4 weeks | 6 weeks |
Echocardiography | 1 day | 7 days | 7 days | 30 days |
Cardiac nuclear imaging | 1 day | 3 days | N/A | 14 days |
Valvular cardiac surgery | Immediate to 24 h | 14 days | N/A | 6 weeks |
Heart failure services | Immediate to 24 h | 14 days | 4 weeks | 6 weeks |
Cardiac rehabilitation | Immediate* | 3 days | 7 days | 30 days |
Diagnostic catheterization | ||||
After ST segment elevation MI | Immediate to 24 h | 3 days | 7 days | N/A |
After non-ST segment elevation ACS | Immediate to 48 h | 3 days | 7 days | N/A |
Stable angina | N/A | N/A | 14 days | 6 weeks |
Stable valvular heart disease | N/A | N/A | 14 days† | 6 weeks |
Percutaneous coronary intervention | ||||
After ST segment elevation MI | Immediate | Immediate | Immediate | N/A |
After non-ST segment elevation ACS | Immediate | Immediate | Immediate | N/A |
Stable angina‡ | N/A | Immediate§ | 14 days | 6 weeks |
Coronary artery bypass graft surgery | ||||
After ST segment elevation MI | Immediate to 24 h | 7 days | 14 days | N/A |
After non-ST segment elevation ACS | Immediate to 48 h | 14 days | 14 days | 6 weeks |
Stable angina | N/A | N/A | 14 days | 6 weeks |
Electrophysiology | ||||
Referral to electrophysiologist | Immediate to 24 h | 3 days | 30 days | 90 days |
Permanent pacemaker | N/A | 3 days | 2 weeks | 6 weeks |
Catheter ablation | N/A | 14 days | N/A | 3 months |
Implantable cardioverter defibrillator | N/A | 3 days¶ | N/A | 8 weeks** |
Cardiac resynchronization therapy devices | N/A | N/A | N/A | 6 weeks |
* Some patients have significant psychosocial issues (e.g., severe depression). Such patients should be managed by emergency or acute care psychiatry.
† For symptomatic aortic stenosis
‡ Ad hoc percutaneous coronary intervention is appropriate for all patients with stable angina in centres that practice in that manner
§ Symptomatic
¶ Secondary prevention
** Primary prevention
Related Items
Highlights of the National Survey on Access to Care at Tertiary Cardiac Care Centres