Impact of capacity building and tele ECG based decision support on change in thrombolysis rate and inhospital and one year mortality in patients with STEMI, using hub and spoke model; multi-phasic intervention trial.

Background: We report the impact of capacity building and teleconsultation on change in the thrombolysis rates and one-year mortality in patients with STEMI using a hub and the spoke model of STEMI care.

Methods: Twenty secondary care public hospitals were linked with a teaching hospital as a hub centre and the impact of the intervention on change in ischemic time, thrombolysis rates and all-cause in-hospital and one-year mortality was compared.

Results: 29 patients with STEMI were treated during pre-intervention from April 2020 to June 2020 and 255 patients during the post-intervention period from July 2020 to Oct 2021 in spoke centres. 245 patients were reported to a hub centre during the study period. The thrombolysis rate was significantly higher in the spoke centres after intervention (65.5%vs. 27.5 % p < 0.001) and was also significantly higher than in patients treated in a hub centre (65.5 % vs. 45.7 % p < 0.01). The in-hospital mortality was significantly lower in patients treated at spoke centres compared to those treated at the hub centre (7.8 % vs. 15.5 % < 0.003). The significant difference in mortality rate continued at one year (11.0 % vs.18.4 % p < 0.01). The median time from symptoms to thrombolytic therapy was significantly lower in STEMI patients treated in spoke centres compared to a hub centre (230 min vs. 356 min p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The hub and spoke model of STEMI care is effective in increasing thrombolysis rate, and decreasing in-hospital and one-year mortality rate.