Supporting community AI-enabled non-specialist point-of-care ultrasound for earlier diagnosis and treatment for heart failure
Heart failure
We will invite adults who have been referred by their primary care to a specialist heart assessment because of symptoms and a raised NTproBNP blood test suggesting possible heart stress. These patients are already waiting for a standard hospital-based specialist heart scan and consultant review as part of usual NHS care following NICE standard diagnostic pathway. If a patient agrees to take part, they will attend one additional visit for a community-based AI-handheld heart scan at CDC prior to their specialist heart assessment. This visit will last about one hour. At this appointment: A member of the research team will explain the study and answer questions. If the patient wishes to take part, they will sign a consent form. The research team will collect relevant background information from the patient’s medical record (such as age, medical history, current medication, blood test results and referral details). The patient will then have a handheld ultrasound scan of their heart. This scan will be performed by a trained healthcare professional. The device uses AI to help capture images and estimate heart function. The images will be reviewed and validated by a specialist practitioner (BSE-accredited echocardiographer). All participants will be asked to complete a patient experience survey at the end of the study visit. The local non-specialist practitioner will be asked to complete a practitioner competency and confidence survey following each participants at the end of study visit. If the scan shows a possible problem with heart function, the result will be escalated to the specialist heart team. Any decisions about diagnosis or starting treatment will be made by that clinical team as part of standard care. After this additional community-based AI-handheld heart scan ultrasound, all participants will continue with their standard diagnostic pathway. This includes their hospital-based specialist heart scan and consultant review, whether or not they choose to take
1. Adult patients aged >=18 years 2. Patient with suspected for heart failure and referred to specialised heart failure investigation/centre 3. Ability to provide informed consent
1. Patients who are unwilling or unable to provide informed consent 2. Patients known to have heart failure or any previous measurement of LVEF <50%