OTTAWA – July 23, 2025 – A specialized unit at the Ottawa Heart Institute designed to provide rapid, expert assessment and interventional care for patients with cardiac concerns is helping to reduce emergency room visits and hospital readmissions in the region.
Since opening its doors in March 2024, the Acute Cardiac Triage Unit (ACTU) has already administered more than 3,000 appointments, helping patients access timely cardiac care easing pressure on regional hospitals, and providing a direct pathway for Heart Institute physicians to refer patients for appointments to receive assessments, diagnostics, and interventions.
“The Acute Cardiac Triage Unit represents a step forward in coordinated, patient-first cardiac care,” said David Birnie, MD, co-director of the Acute Cardiac Triage Unit and head of cardiology at the Ottawa Heart Institute. “We’re streamlining access for Heart Institute patients who need urgent attention but not necessarily emergency department admission, saving time and resources.”
The ACTU supports both inpatient and outpatient care with a focus on assessing, treating, and educating patients to ensure smooth transitions from hospital to home, preventing complications, and reducing emergency department visits and hospital readmissions. Services include same- or next-day access to cardiac testing, post-discharge planning, medication optimization, and personalized follow-up. The unit is aligned with Ontario’s health priorities, particularly those focused on improving access, coordination, and efficiency in care, and is already proving to be a high-impact model for acute care delivery.
“This initiative is about getting the right care to the right patients at the right time,” said Pierre Voisine, MD, co-director of the Acute Cardiac Triage Unit and the head of cardiac surgery at the Ottawa Heart Institute. “Our surgical patients benefit from close post-operative monitoring and intervention when needed, without having to return to the emergency room.”
“We’re seeing the difference every day,” said advanced practice nurse Lindsay MacArthur, clinical manager of the Acute Cardiac Triage Unit. “Patients and their families have peace of mind knowing there’s a team ready to assess symptoms quickly and intervene before a situation escalates.”
Cardiologists and cardiac surgeons within the Ottawa Heart Institute refer patients to the ACTU, where they receive individualized care, including physical exams, ECGs, chest X-rays, blood tests, and medication management.
Media contact
Leigh B. Morris
Communications Officer
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
613-316-6409 (cell)
lmorris@ottawaheart.ca