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Objectives: To examine the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in people from rural or remote Western Australia referred for invasive coronary angiography (ICA) in Perth and their subsequent management; to estimate the cost savings were computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) offered in rural centres as a first line investigation for people with suspected CAD. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting, participants: Adults with stable symptoms in rural and remote WA referred to Perth public tertiary hospitals for ICA evaluation during the 2019 calendar year. Main outcome measures: Severity and management of CAD (medical management or revascularisation); health care costs by care model (standard care or a proposed alternative model with local CTCA assessment). Results: The mean age of the 1017 people from rural and remote WA who underwent ICA in Perth was 62 years (standard deviation, 13 years); 680 were men (66.9%), 245 were Indigenous people (24.1%). Indications for referral were non‐ST elevation myocardial infarction (438, 43.1%), chest pain with normal troponin level (394, 38.7%), and other (185, 18.2%). After ICA assessment, 619 people were medically managed (60.9%) and 398 underwent revascularisation (39.1%). None of the 365 patients (35.9%) without obstructed coronaries (< 50% stenosis) underwent revascularisation; nine patients with moderate CAD (50–69% stenosis; 7%) and 389 with severe CAD (≥ 70% stenosis or occluded vessel; 75.5%) underwent revascularisation. Were CTCA used locally to determine the need for referral, 527 referrals could have been averted (53%), the ICA:revascularisation ratio would have improved from 2.6 to 1.6, and 1757 metropolitan hospital bed‐days (43% reduction) and $7.3 million in health care costs (36% reduction) would have been saved. Conclusion: Many rural and remote Western Australians transferred for ICA in Perth have non‐obstructive CAD and are medically managed. Providing CTCA as a first line investigation in rural centres could avert half of these transfers and be a cost‐effective strategy for risk stratification of people with suspected CAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the clinical outcomes and healthcare costs of transferring rural Western Australians for invasive coronary angiography, as well as a cost-effective alternative care model. The authors acknowledge the challenges faced by rural healthcare in Australia, including limited access to specialist investigations and physician shortages. They propose implementing computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) in rural centers as a non-invasive diagnostic modality that can bridge the gap in cardiovascular care. However, they also highlight the need to address barriers such as equipment availability, trained personnel, and clinical models of care. The authors suggest that health system reform and further research are necessary to optimize equity of access for rural patients. [Extracted from the article]