Abstract
BACKGROUND: Medical imaging, including echocardiogram, is a major driver of escalating health-care costs. AIMS: To examine the utilisation of transthoracic echocardiograms (TTEs) at a large tertiary hospital in Australia (Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service). METHODS: We retrospectively looked at 500 transthoracic echocardiograms ordered sequentially. The stated reason for requesting the TTE was then classified into one of 98 indications constructed by the ACCF. These requests were then determined to be 'appropriate', 'inappropriate', or 'uncertain' as per the appropriate use criteria (AUC). RESULTS: Overall, 443 TTEs were ordered appropriately (88.60%), 50 inappropriate (10.00%), and 8 met the criteria for uncertain. TTEs ordered by the cardiology team comprised of 131 appropriate (91.61%), 6 inappropriate (4.20%), and 6 uncertain (4.20%) indications. There were a higher percentage of appropriate TTE (93.23%) when performed on inpatients then when compared to those performed as an outpatient (82.91%). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service shows a good adherence to the AUC in keeping with similar studies in large hospitals overseas.