Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The National Infarct Angioplasty Project assessed the feasibility of establishing a comprehensive primary angioplasty service. We aimed to compare satisfaction at intervention hospitals offering angioplasty-based care and control hospitals offering thrombolysis-based care. DESIGN: Mixed methods, with postal survey of patients and their carers, supported by semi-structured interviews. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Survey of 682 patients and 486 carers, and interviews with 33 patients and carers, in eight English hospitals. INTERVENTIONS: Primary angioplasty or thrombolysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Satisfaction with treatment. RESULTS: Responses were received from 595/682 patients (87%) and 418/486 carers (86%). Satisfaction with overall care was high at both intervention and control sites (78% vs. 71% patients rated their care as 'excellent', P = 0.074). Patient satisfaction was higher at intervention sites for some aspects of care such as speed of treatment (80% vs. 67%'excellent', P = 0.001). Convenience of visiting was rated lower at intervention sites by carers (12% vs. 1%'poor', P = 0.001). During interviews, carers reported that they accepted the added inconvenience of visiting primary angioplasty sites in the context of this life-saving treatment. Patient satisfaction with discharge and aftercare was lower in both treatment groups than for other aspects of care. CONCLUSIONS: Reorganization of care to offer a primary angioplasty service was acceptable to patients and their carers. Satisfaction levels were high regardless of the type of care received, with the exception of discharge and aftercare.