Bass Coast Health expands cardiology service

News

People with heart conditions now have access to a greater range of services at Bass Coast Health (BCH).

Cardiac patients can consult Angela Tiziani, the new Rapid Access Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Clinical Nurse Consultant at BCH.

Her appointment is part of a pilot project with Safer Care Victoria in collaboration with the Cardiology team from the Alfred Hospital.

The clinic provides specialist care to patients diagnosed with AF. Without early diagnosis, patients have a higher risk of stroke. AF makes the heart beat faster, resulting in blood pooling and subsequent clots, which cause stroke.

Patients receive a personalised AF management care plan and stroke risk assessment, including an oral anticoagulant review.

Patients referred into the clinic are seen within 14 days and followed up by Angela and Alfred Health’s Cardiologists.

“Early identification and treatment of AF can greatly reduce the risk of stroke. Our clinics aim to see patients within 14 days of them being diagnosed with AF,” Angela said.

“Most patients are referred to us by their GP or via our Emergency Department. They will then have an electrocardiograph to determine if they have AF.”

Angela has been part of the BCH team for 25 years and has worked as a nurse across Acute Ward, Haemodialysis, Residential-in-Reach and Post-Acute Care, and also coordinated our Hospital in the Home program.

For the past three years she has been part of our Cardiology care team.

In addition to the Rapid Access AF Clinic, BCH also now offers Stress ECHO testing from a new consulting room at Wonthaggi Hospital.

BCH is happy to receive patients for our AF Clinic and Stress ECHO testing by them emailing access@basscoasthealth.org.au