Patient Story: Denise
Denise, a 60-year-old woman was recently transferred to Wagga Base Hospital after presenting to ED at the Tumbarumba Hospital.
Denise is a life-long smoker with known emphysema and COPD and presented to ED with sharp central chest pain and suspected peri-myocarditis caused by an infection. Upon initial bedside transthoracic echocardiogram, moderate LV dysfunction was found. Formal TTE revealed an EF of approx. 40-45% with mild to moderate LV dysfunction and was started on heart failure medications including Bicor, Entresto and Spironolactone. She was discharged with a plan to follow up at the Heart Failure Clinic for a repeat ECHO and review.
Upon attending the Heart Failure Clinic, Denise showed significant improvements in her symptoms and a normalisation of her ejection fraction.
Denise described her experience of the clinic as extremely efficient. She was very happy with the service and said everything was explained to her and she was given a clear plan, moving forward.
She commented that having access to these services at no cost was important as she didn’t know what she would do if this clinic wasn’t available. Denise had visited a Respiratory Specialist some years ago but did not return for the follow up appointment due to the associated costs and mentioned she is unlikely to attend her follow up appointment with the Cardiac Specialist for the same reason.
Living alone and in the Tumbarumba region, travel to Wagga can be difficult and cost associated with visiting a specialist is better spent on firewood to heat her home. Denise is very grateful for the opportunity to be included in the clinic and hopes they can continue to run and assist people like herself.
Denise is now being managed by her GP back home in Tumbarumba and has been referred to the Outpatient Respiratory Clinic by the HF CNC for management of her COPD.
