Conclusion
This trial was complex and required the dedication and
support of several hundred staff in busy clinical and
non-clinical environments. Co-ordination of their
efforts required a small, highly motivated trial team
which was led by a cardiologist. The trial recruited
100% of the eligible population, achieved near 100%
follow-up, dealt with 85 deaths, organised adjudication
of more than 200 adverse events on 130 patients and
obtained consent from the patient population. The core
research team worked closely to foresee and to resolve
issues as they arose, with an aim to seek innovative
methods to improve efficiency.
The team focused on communication with all staff
involved in any way with the trial and maintained a high
profile from the start. The research team understood the
daily demands faced by frontline staff and tried to avoid
placing any additional burden. The high levels of data
completeness in HEAT-PPCI are a consequence of attentive
adherence to clinical protocols across nursing and
medical teams. To achieve success required organisation,
communication, collaboration and clear goals, while never
losing respect and compassion for the patients.