The ICare-FASTER Project is dedicated to improving emergency care through faster risk assessment for possible heart attack. Our team is committed to revolutionizing the way in which risk assessment is conducted. We aim to ensure that patients receive timely and accurate risk assessment to enable prompt and effective intervention.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which hospitals are involved in the project?

Christchurch Hospital: Health New Zealand - Canterbury / Te Whatu Ora - Waitaha

Gisborne Hospital: Health New Zealand - Gisborne / Te Whatu Ora - Tairāwhiti

Hawke's Bay Hospital: Health New Zealand - Hawke's Bay / Te Whatu Ora - Te Matau-a-Māui

Rotorua Hospital: Health New Zealand - Lakes / Te Whatu Ora - Lakes

Taupo Hospital: Health New Zealand - Lakes / Te Whatu Ora - Lakes

Ashburton Hospital: Health New Zealand - Canterbury / Te Whatu Ora - Waitaha

Will this test be available at other hospitals?

It is important to understand that the test (troponin blood test for heart attack) has been in use at your local hospital since approximately 1998. There are multiple manufacturers of the test and all tests receive international regulatory approval before use in New Zealand. The new troponin test that we are evaluating has also received regulatory approval, however, it is not planned for the test to be used in hospitals other than those listed above until the evaluation has been completed.

The ICare-FASTER team believes it will demonstrate this approach can be duplicated in urban and rural hospitals, urgent care facilities, and general practices safely across the motu (NZ).

Is this done anywhere else in the world?

New Zealand is a leader in chest pain management, and work is underway to implement the same test in emergency departments in Australia and Europe.

How many Patients are involved in the project? Is this test here to stay?

We plan to collect data on 50,000 patients and the project will run up till the end of 2024. All findings and recommendations will be made to Health New Zealand /Te Whatu Ora at the end of the project. At that point a decision based on the data and recommendations provided will be made as to whether this test is the right choice for New Zealand hospitals.

Who has approved this project?

Formal legal guidance and ethics committee review have designated this as a quality improvement initiative which is compliant with the patient Code of Rights. Approval has been given by the Southern Health and Disability Ethics Committee (ref 21/STH/19). This is a measured evaluation of a clinical pathway alteration.

The project and team has received support from the Minister of Health, the Health and Safety Quality Commission, and Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora.

Do I need to consent to take part in the project when I am at one of the participating hospitals?

Formal consent is not required, however the information sheet for chest pain patients includes information on the updated process and test that have been applied. This information sheet should be available to you at the time you attend the emergency department.

How is this project funded?

The project has received grant funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand. Equipment and consumables have been provided by Siemens Healthineers.

What is a troponin test?

A troponin test looks for certain types of the protein troponin in your bloodstream. Those types of troponin only occur in heart muscle cells and only enter your blood because of heart muscle damage. That makes troponin invaluable in diagnosing heart attacks and other heart-related problems.

What is a heart attack?

A heart attack (also known as a myocardial infarction) is a medical emergency. A heart attack usually occurs when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the heart. Without blood, tissue loses oxygen and dies. Symptoms include tightness or pain in the chest, neck, back or arms, as well as fatigue, light-headedness, abnormal heartbeat and anxiety.

What is a chest pain pathway?

The chest pain clinical pathway is a care plan that describes the necessary steps in the evaluation and treatment of chest pain in the Emergency Department. The pathway may include a number of different tests, observations, scoring and patient feedback to help the clinical team decide how to best manage or treat a patient presenting to the department with chest pain.

What happens to my data if I am involved in this project?

Health data is routinely collected on all patients presenting to the Emergency Department. This project collects no additional data, and does not include personal or demographic data. De-identified routinely collected data will be used for project evaluation.