2637 A quality improvement project to reduce time to ECG in patients attending the emergency department with chest pain

This quality improvement project aimed to reduce the median time to obtain an ECG for patients presenting with chest pain from 78 minutes to under 30 minutes, following concerns raised by a recent CQC inspection regarding patient safety. The initiative identified several areas for improvement, including the need for more Clinical Support Workers (CSWs) and better triage processes. Four interventions were implemented: prioritizing the recruitment of CSWs, providing additional training for staff, establishing a policy mandating ECGs from triage, and introducing a Continuous Flow Model to enhance cubicle availability in the emergency department. As a result, the median time to ECG improved significantly, dropping to 29 minutes, with sustained performance below the first quartile for six consecutive data points. Continued enhancements may involve recruiting ECG technicians and transitioning to a new department building.