1. Introduction
In 1948, Prof. Tao ShouQi, a late renowned Chinese cardiologist, returned from United States with a Cambridge electrocardiograph to Zhongshan Hospital, and set up one of the earliest Electrocardiography centers in China, and hereafter founded the studies of electrocardiography in the nation. In the year of 1951, Chen Qingzhang was recruited as the first staff into the center. When Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Disease was set up in 1958, the ECG unit was then merged as the part of the institution. ECG department has been continuously supported and developed under the leadership of the institute chaired by Prof. Tao ShouQi, Prof. Chen HaoZhu, Prof. Pu ShouYue, Prof.Zhu JunRen, consectively. Yao Zheng Yi, Chen QingZhang, Li Gaoping, Li JingXia, Zhou JingMin were named as Chief/deputy director subsequently. The current director is Dr. Su YanGang, and deputy director is Dr. Lin Jingyu. Until July 2022, there are 30 staff in the ECG unit, including 2 full senior titles, 5 associate senior titles, and 7 intermediate titles-personnel.
2. Clinical Activities
The average annual throughput of ECG department is around 400,000 plus routine ECG examinations and 20,000 plus dynamic ECG examinations for clinical purpose and research purpose as well. More advanced examinations have become part of routine work such as electrocardiographic vectors, ventricular late potential monitoring, dynamic blood pressure, exercise plate, and pulse wave/ankle arm index testing, etc. In 2015, the Upright Tilt Test Program was introduced the hospital and started to practice as the first center in Shanghai in adopting this examination program for adults.
With the continuous effort in QCC activities, the ECG department has been leading the cardiology specialty development in Shanghai. In 2009, Shanghai ECG Quality Control Center was set up. As a QCC affiliated institution, Dr. Li JingXia, Dr. Lin JingYu and other ECG experts developed the ECG Quality Control Manual and Routine ECG Diagnostic Writing Specification Manual of Shanghai protocol , and published the monograph of "ECG Quality Control Practice". The ECG Department held the Shanghai ECG quality control training sessions and conduct quality control inspections annually, and also deliver the well-recognized standardized ECG training programs for all ECG staff in Shanghai. To align with more advanced service standards in Sun Yat-sen Hospital, all ECG staffs have been well trained to deliver quality services in high courtesy and convenience to patients.
3. Teaching and Coaching
The Electrocardiography Department delivered specialty training programs for undergraduates, graduates, residents, cardiovascular specialists and senior physicians. Every year, ECG department received fellow applicants from the whole country and a very high percentage of these physicians have been designated as core experts or chief of their departments on completion of the training programs. The ECG department has been in charge of the preparation and production of teaching materials and textbooks, and has engaged in compiling three monographs in recent years. Since 2002, Porf. Li GaoPing has chaired national continuing education program "New Theories and Advances in Electrocardiography" every year. Three publications about ECG teaching methodologies have been completed.
4. Scientific Researches
As an important ECG research base in China, a series of research projects have been conducted, including: clinical cardiac catheterization, clinical cardiac vectorgram research, high frequency ECG research (National "7th Five-Year Plan" project), heart rate variability research, clinical application of computerized electrocardiography, common standards for Chinese electrocardiography (funded by the Lucile & Packard Foundation of the U.S.A.), optimization of diagnostic standards for computerized electrocardiography (funded by the Central Laboratory of Hewlett-Packard Company of the U.S.A. and collaborated with the department). researches on computerized multimedia teaching system for cardiovascular specialty (funded by Chinese Academy of Sciences and collaborated with Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences), and dynamic analysis of digital coronary arteriography (project of Leading Discipline of Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau),etc.
The insights and discoveries of these projects have greatly contributed to catching up international frontiers in the specialty. The department has 200 more SCI and core journals publications, and major contributors in more than ten scientific research projects funded by National Ministry of Science and Technology , by province and municipality and by the hospital as well .
5. Publications and Patents
The department has more than 200 SCI and core journals publications.
8 patents on inventions and 2 patents on transformation have been awarded attributing to Dr. Zhang XinGang;
2 patents on inventions are attributed to Dr. Lin JingYu
6. Awards for Individuals:
The Third Prize of the 7th Silver Snake Award of Shanghai Health System granted to LiGaoPing in 1999;
The Third Prize of Shanghai Medical Science and Technology Progress of the year 2012 granted to Dr. Su YanGang;
The 2nd tier Prize of Shanghai Medical Science and Technology Progress of the year of 2018 granted to Dr. Su YanGang
National Famous Doctor title of the year of 2018 granted to Dr. Su YanGang
Lin Jingyu was honored with Zhongshan Hospital March 8th Red Flagholder of the year of 2018
Chen Weiwen was awarded Outstanding Young Physician Award of Zhongshan Hospital of the year of 1997
Excellent Teaching Secretary of the year of 2012-2013 in roll granted to Chen WeiWen
Liu Jun won the Outstanding Party Worker of Zhongshan Hospital of the year of 2014-2016 in roll
Wang Huixin won the 1st prize of "Shanghai ECG Quality Control Knowledge Contest of the year of 2017".
7. Team Awards
Advanced Group of Teaching Work of the year of 2010-2011 granted to ECG department team;
2011-2012 Zhongshan Hospital "three-eight" red flagholder group
2012 Zhongshan Hospital "Quality Continuous Improvement" Activity Award
The 2nd and the 3rd Prizes of the 3rd Zhongshan Hospital Spiritual Civilization Construction Golden Idea Award in 2012.
2016 Zhongshan Hospital "Respect for the Elderly Civilized Service Initiative Award" Winner Award
Third Prize of the 5th Zhongshan Hospital Spiritual Civilization Construction Innovation Award in 2016.
Electrocardiogram Service Desk was awarded "Civilized Window" in 2021.
