Improving cardiovascular care in rural areas through telehealth

Enhancing Rural Health Via Cardiovascular Telehealth for Rural Patients (E-VICTORS) Project

Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NCT04617834

This study is testing a new telehealth program to see if it can improve care for people in rural North Carolina who have chest pain or trouble breathing.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment24000 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorWake Forest University Health Sciences (other)
Locations4 sites (Wilkesboro, North Carolina and 3 other locations)
Trial IDNCT04617834 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This observational study evaluates the implementation of a cardiovascular telehealth platform aimed at enhancing care for patients in Wilkes County, North Carolina. The program connects emergency medical services, a local hospital's emergency department, and public health clinics to facilitate early risk assessment and management of patients presenting with acute chest pain or dyspnea. By utilizing telehealth technology, paramedics and healthcare providers can make informed decisions regarding treatment and transportation for patients with cardiovascular symptoms. The study will collect quality surveillance data to assess the effectiveness of this approach.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this study are adults over 18 years old presenting with cardiovascular symptoms such as chest discomfort or dyspnea.

Not a fit: Patients under 18, those with traumatic chest pain, or dyspnea from non-cardiac causes will not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this initiative could significantly improve the timely diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular conditions in rural populations.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promising results with telehealth approaches in managing cardiovascular diseases, indicating potential for success in this implementation.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* age \> 18 years at time of index encounter
* Cardiovascular symptoms (chest discomfort or dyspnea consistent with possible ACS) as indicated by the treating provider

Exclusion Criteria:

* Age \<18
* Traumatic chest pain
* Dyspnea that is clearly from a non-cardiac etiology
* Patients with hemodynamic instability SBP \< 90 mmHg, HR\>160 or \<40 bpm
* Patients requiring intubation/mechanical ventilation

Where this trial is running

Wilkesboro, North Carolina and 3 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Cardiovascular Diseases, Acute Coronary Syndrome, acute chest pain, telehealth, implementation science, rural health

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.