{"id":{"repo_id":"cape-town","oai_identifier":"oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/37363"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cape-town/oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/37363","repository":{"repo_id":"cape-town","name":"University of Cape Town","base_url":"https://open.uct.ac.za/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Patients Referred to the Paediatric Cardiology Outpatient Services at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in 2018: A review of demographics, referral patterns, diagnoses and clinical outcomes","abstract":"Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) in children causes considerable morbidity and mortality in Africa and its impact on health systems is an emerging problem. Paediatric cardiology is a highly specialized field based in tertiary centres with worldwide demand exceeding available resources. Upon suspicion of CVD, specialist investigation, early intervention and follow-up are major challenges in low- and middle-income settings. Aim: To investigate and describe patients referred for specialist cardiology services at a tertiary children's hospital in Africa Methods: Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (RCWMCH) is a tertiary paediatric hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. We reviewed patients referred to our outpatient cardiology service, investigating demographics, spectrum of disease, and clinical outcomes. Results: Between 1 January and 31 December 2018, 625 new patients were referred to cardiology outpatient department (COPD) services. Eighty percent (n=501) had structurally normal hearts. The majority of the remainder with confirmed CVD (98%, n=122) had congenital heart defects. Median age of the cohort with CVD was 3.9 months (IQR: 2.6-12.0) with a slight female preponderance (55%). Thirty-four (28%) patients were scheduled for surgery. Ten percent of referred patients had incomplete letters of referral, furthermore we found no feedback plans to these referring practitioners from the COPD doctors. Conclusion: Demands on paediatric cardiology services at RCWMCH are high. Most referred outpatients have structurally normal hearts, straining an already overwhelmed specialist service. However, 28% of patients found to have congenital defects required surgery, highlighting the need to prioritise certain patients. Strengthening communication and feedback channels between cardiologists and generalists will optimise care.","abstract_html":"Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) in children causes considerable morbidity and mortality in Africa and its impact on health systems is an emerging problem. Paediatric cardiology is a highly specialized field based in tertiary centres with worldwide demand exceeding available resources. Upon suspicion of CVD, specialist investigation, early intervention and follow-up are major challenges in low- and middle-income settings. Aim: To investigate and describe patients referred for specialist cardiology services at a tertiary children's hospital in Africa Methods: Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (RCWMCH) is a tertiary paediatric hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. We reviewed patients referred to our outpatient cardiology service, investigating demographics, spectrum of disease, and clinical outcomes. Results: Between 1 January and 31 December 2018, 625 new patients were referred to cardiology outpatient department (COPD) services. Eighty percent (n=501) had structurally normal hearts. The majority of the remainder with confirmed CVD (98%, n=122) had congenital heart defects. Median age of the cohort with CVD was 3.9 months (IQR: 2.6-12.0) with a slight female preponderance (55%). Thirty-four (28%) patients were scheduled for surgery. Ten percent of referred patients had incomplete letters of referral, furthermore we found no feedback plans to these referring practitioners from the COPD doctors. Conclusion: Demands on paediatric cardiology services at RCWMCH are high. Most referred outpatients have structurally normal hearts, straining an already overwhelmed specialist service. However, 28% of patients found to have congenital defects required surgery, highlighting the need to prioritise certain patients. Strengthening communication and feedback channels between cardiologists and generalists will optimise care.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Tlopo, Canicia Puleng"],"institution":"Department of Paediatrics and Child Health","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Zühlke, Liesl"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2022,"date_issued":"2022","date_published":"2022","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:23:34Z","subjects":["Paediatric cardiology referrals","Low- and middle-income paediatric cardiology services"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37363","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Zühlke, Liesl"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Tlopo, Canicia Puleng"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2023-03-13T08:53:40Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2023-03-13T08:53:40Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2022"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["Department of Paediatrics and Child Health"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Masters","MMed"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Paediatric cardiology referrals","Low- and middle-income paediatric cardiology services"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37363"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) in children causes considerable morbidity and mortality in Africa and its impact on health systems is an emerging problem. Paediatric cardiology is a highly specialized field based in tertiary centres with worldwide demand exceeding available resources. Upon suspicion of CVD, specialist investigation, early intervention and follow-up are major challenges in low- and middle-income settings. Aim: To investigate and describe patients referred for specialist cardiology services at a tertiary children's hospital in Africa Methods: Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (RCWMCH) is a tertiary paediatric hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. We reviewed patients referred to our outpatient cardiology service, investigating demographics, spectrum of disease, and clinical outcomes. Results: Between 1 January and 31 December 2018, 625 new patients were referred to cardiology outpatient department (COPD) services. Eighty percent (n=501) had structurally normal hearts. The majority of the remainder with confirmed CVD (98%, n=122) had congenital heart defects. Median age of the cohort with CVD was 3.9 months (IQR: 2.6-12.0) with a slight female preponderance (55%). Thirty-four (28%) patients were scheduled for surgery. Ten percent of referred patients had incomplete letters of referral, furthermore we found no feedback plans to these referring practitioners from the COPD doctors. Conclusion: Demands on paediatric cardiology services at RCWMCH are high. Most referred outpatients have structurally normal hearts, straining an already overwhelmed specialist service. However, 28% of patients found to have congenital defects required surgery, highlighting the need to prioritise certain patients. Strengthening communication and feedback channels between cardiologists and generalists will optimise care."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Patients Referred to the Paediatric Cardiology Outpatient Services at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in 2018: A review of demographics, referral patterns, diagnoses and clinical outcomes"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Zühlke, Liesl"],"dc:creator":["Tlopo, Canicia Puleng"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2023-03-13T08:53:40Z"],"dc:date.available":["2023-03-13T08:53:40Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2022"],"dc:description.abstract":["Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) in children causes considerable morbidity and mortality in Africa and its impact on health systems is an emerging problem. Paediatric cardiology is a highly specialized field based in tertiary centres with worldwide demand exceeding available resources. Upon suspicion of CVD, specialist investigation, early intervention and follow-up are major challenges in low- and middle-income settings. Aim: To investigate and describe patients referred for specialist cardiology services at a tertiary children's hospital in Africa Methods: Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (RCWMCH) is a tertiary paediatric hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. We reviewed patients referred to our outpatient cardiology service, investigating demographics, spectrum of disease, and clinical outcomes. Results: Between 1 January and 31 December 2018, 625 new patients were referred to cardiology outpatient department (COPD) services. Eighty percent (n=501) had structurally normal hearts. The majority of the remainder with confirmed CVD (98%, n=122) had congenital heart defects. Median age of the cohort with CVD was 3.9 months (IQR: 2.6-12.0) with a slight female preponderance (55%). Thirty-four (28%) patients were scheduled for surgery. Ten percent of referred patients had incomplete letters of referral, furthermore we found no feedback plans to these referring practitioners from the COPD doctors. Conclusion: Demands on paediatric cardiology services at RCWMCH are high. Most referred outpatients have structurally normal hearts, straining an already overwhelmed specialist service. However, 28% of patients found to have congenital defects required surgery, highlighting the need to prioritise certain patients. Strengthening communication and feedback channels between cardiologists and generalists will optimise care."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37363"],"dc:publisher.department":["Department of Paediatrics and Child Health"],"dc:subject":["Paediatric cardiology referrals","Low- and middle-income paediatric cardiology services"],"dc:title":["Patients Referred to the Paediatric Cardiology Outpatient Services at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in 2018: A review of demographics, referral patterns, diagnoses and clinical outcomes"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["Masters","MMed"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:23:34Z"}