Using a Cloud Computing System to Reduce Door-to-Balloon Time in Acute ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients Transferred for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

BACKGROUND This study evaluated the impact on clinical outcomes using a cloud computing system to reduce percutaneous coronary intervention hospital door-to-balloon (DTB) time for ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS A total of 369 patients before and after implementation of the transfer protocol were enrolled. Of these patients, 262 were transferred through protocol while the other 107 patients were transferred through the traditional referral process. RESULTS There were no significant differences in DTB time, pain to door of STEMI receiving center arrival time, and pain to balloon time between the two groups. Pain to electrocardiography time in patients with Killip I/II and catheterization laboratory to balloon time in patients with Killip III/IV were significantly reduced in transferred through protocol group compared to in traditional referral process group (both p < 0.05). There were also no remarkable differences in the complication rate and 30-day mortality between two groups. The multivariate analysis revealed that the independent predictors of 30-day mortality were elderly patients, advanced Killip score, and higher level of troponin-I. CONCLUSIONS This study showed that patients transferred through our present protocol could reduce pain to electrocardiography and catheterization laboratory to balloon time in Killip I/II and III/IV patients separately. However, this study showed that using a cloud computing system in our present protocol did not reduce DTB time.