Indigenous Cardiac Outreach Clinics

The Indigenous Cardiac Outreach Clinic program gives free heart health checks to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders living in Queensland remote communities.

The outreach clinic team includes a cardiologist, a nurse, a sonographer (to take ultrasounds) and an Indigenous Liaison Coordinator. The team provides cardiac assessment and treatment planning for patients who attend the clinic.

Indigenous Health workers first screen individuals for cardiac problems, identify those who require more medical assessment and organise for these patients to attend the clinics.

The clinics successfully began delivering an outreach service in 2007 to 16 sites throughout Queensland. The service is popular, with an overwhelming number of community members attending ongoing clinical sessions.

A main contributor to the program's success is that the clinic operates with an underlying philosophy of mutual respect and responsibility. This supports local community members in taking greater control and care of their heart health.

More information

For more information about the cardiac outreach clinics in remote Queensland communities, contact your local health worker.