Duke Heart’s operational updates have refined referral and scheduling processes to better support referring providers and expedite diagnosis and treatment. Through these system improvements, the department strives to provide prompt access to high-quality care for all levels of cardiovascular treatment and prevention.

Notable efforts to increase access for referring providers and patients include:

• Increased clinical footprint: With 11 locations in and around the Triangle, Duke Heart offers expanded clinics, procedure spaces, and imaging time to provide the entire range of cardiovascular care. The increased availability also includes appointments on evenings and weekends, making care convenient for patients.
• Simplified scheduling: The department continues to refine scheduling processes to streamline the experience for patients and referring providers. “We want to offer a simple process by which referring providers or patients can call one number or access one electronic pathway to get an appointment,” says Patel.
• Additional provider capacity: The department has added cardiologists and clinicians across a broad spectrum of care in multiple locations to accept more referrals and decrease wait times. “We’re working to best match the patient's needs with our team as fast as possible,” says Patel.

The system-wide improvements are the latest innovation to show Duke’s commitment to providing accessible, high-quality care to the community, including exploring telehealth options and offering second opinions.

“This is a journey, and we're committed to building the most patient-centric way of getting patients in to see us,” says Patel. “We recognize complex care, procedures, and decisions are very important and meaningful to providers and patients, and we’re working to build relationships with referring providers in the community to ensure we have the privilege to provide our team-based care and excellent outcomes to their patients.”