Pan-Canadian Development of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Secondary Prevention Quality Indicators

2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 945-948 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherry L. Grace ◽  
Paul Poirier ◽  
Colleen M. Norris ◽  
Garth H. Oakes ◽  
Deborah S. Somanader ◽  
...  
2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
R Gallagher ◽  
C Astley ◽  
E Thomas ◽  
R Zecchin ◽  
C Ferry ◽  
...  

Abstract Background/Introduction Comprehensive exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has well-established efficacy and effectiveness for improving patients' outcomes. There is substantial variability in terms of clinical effectiveness and quality measurement of CR programs internationally which limits service improvement initiatives. In Australia in 2018 a the Australian Cardiovascular Health and Rehabilitation Association (ACRA) and the National Heart Foundation of Australia (NHFA) combined forces to develop nationally-agreed, internationally-consistent, locally-relevant quality indicators (QI). Purpose To provide a minimum set of standardised national-level QI that should be collected and reported on by CR programs to determine the quality of delivery and associated outcomes, benchmark performance and support improvement processes. Methods We formed the National Cardiac Rehabilitation Measurement (NCRM) Taskforce led by ACRA and NHF and used the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) UK guidelines to develop high quality QIs. The process included topic overview, prioritising areas for quality improvement, drafting and consultation, validation and consistency checking. Results Eleven preliminary QIs were circulated for ranking and comment to all ACRA members (predominately multidisciplinary CR providers) (68 responses), and to leading national multidisciplinary CR experts from cardiology, research, physiotherapy, nursing, epidemiology and register backgrounds (7 responses). Ratings, comments and suggestions were collated and discussed by the NCRM Taskforce, and the indicators rated most important, useful and feasible were retained, resulting in 10 QIs. These 10 QIs were presented at the ACRA national conference and then discussed at a workshop (55 participants) for this purpose. Ten QIs and accompanying data dictionary with definitions, evidence and allowable values is the final product. Conclusions A minimum set of locally relevant, internationally recognised, national QIs for CR is now available for CR providers, health service managers and researchers in Australia, which may be relevant internationally. The QIs will best serve national interests incorporated within a national cardiac registry but will also be useful for site audits and have strong potential to be aggregated across sites, health districts and states. The definitive test of the QIs will be how useful they are for CR program coordinators and funders of such programs; a key consideration for building sustainable business models and ensuring long-term implementation. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-221
Author(s):  
Maciej Janiszewski ◽  
Artur Mamcarz

The role of comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation (CCR) is well established in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease and heart failure. Many clinical trials demonstrated effectiveness of CCR in improving exercise capacity, quality of life, and in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. However, even before the era of the COVID-19 pandemic comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation program’s implementation, especially the second phase, had many barriers. One of the main reasons for not attending in second phase of CCR was lack of transportation from patient’s home to rehabilitation centers. Additionally, in recent months COVID-19 pandemic has led to closure of many cardiac rehabilitation centres resulting in many eligible patients unable to participate in the optimisation of secondary prevention. During the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, hybrid telerehabilitation has become the leading solution in the cardiac rehabilitation programs. The present paper contains key information about structures, effectives and safety of hybrid telerehabilitation during the COVID-19 era.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
B Hudzik ◽  
A Budaj ◽  
M Gierlotka ◽  
A Witkowski ◽  
W Wojakowski ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction 2017 ESC Guidelines for the management of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients have called for the assessment of the quality of care to establish measurable quality indicators in order to ensure that every patient with STEMI receives the best possible care. We investigated the quality indicators of health care services in Poland provided to STEMI patients. Methods The Polish Registry of Acute Coronary Syndromes (PL-ACS) is an ongoing, nationwide, multicenter, prospective, observational study of consecutively hospitalized patients with the whole spectrum of ACS in Poland. For the purpose of assessing quality indicators, we included 8,279 patients from the PL-ACS Registry hospitalized with STEMI between January 1 and December 31, 2018. Results All emergency medical services (EMS) are equipped with ECG/defibrillators. 408 of 8,279 patients (4.9%) arrived at PCI center by self-transport, 4,791 patients (57.9%) patients arrived at PCI center by direct EMS transport, and 2,900 patients (37.2%) were transferred from non-PCI facilities. Whilst 95.1% of STEMI patients arriving in the first 12 hours received reperfusion therapy, the rates of timely reperfusion were much lower (ranging from 39.4% to 55.0% for various STEMI pathways). 7,807 patients (94.3%) underwent PCI as a mode of primary reperfusion strategy. The median left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 46% and was assessed before discharge in 86.0% of patients. 489 of 8,279 patients (5.9%) died during hospital stay. Optimal medical therapy is prescribed in 50–85% of patients depending on various clinical settings. Only one in two STEMI patient is enrolled in a cardiac rehabilitation program at discharge. No patient-reported outcomes were recorded in the PL-ACS Registry. Figure 1 Conclusions The results of this study identified areas of healthcare systems that require solid improvement. These include prehospital ECG decision strategy, direct transport to PCI center, timely reperfusion, guidelines-based medical therapy (in particular in patients with heart failure), referral to cardiac rehabilitation/secondary prevention programs. More importantly, we recognized an urgent need for the initiation of recording quality indicators associated with patient-reported outcomes.


2015 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Albertini ◽  
Antonella Ciocca ◽  
Cristina Opasich ◽  
Gian Domenico Pinna ◽  
Franco Cobelli

Background. Phase 3 is a critical point for cardiac rehabilitation: many problems don’t allow achieving a correct secondary prevention, in particular regarding the relationship between patient and cardiologist. Aiming at ensuring continuity of care of phase 3 cardiac rehabilitation patients, we have developed a telemetric educational program to stimulate in them the will and capacity to become active co-managers of their disease. Methods. Nurses specialized in cardiac rehabilitation, with the collaboration of the general practitioners, contact the patients by scheduled phone calls to collect questionnaires about their health status and the result of biochemistry. All the results are analyzed by the nurses and discussed with each patient (educational reinforcement). The effects of this program of co-management of cardiac disease and secondary prevention are analyzed comparing each patient data at the discharge with data after one year and those coming from our archive (retrospective analysis). Results. The patients enrolled in this study pay much more attention to the amount of food they eat; they tend not to gain weight, and they restart smoking in a reduced proportion compared to patients not enrolled in the study. However, despite having received better information on their cardiac disease, their compliance to physical training, consumption of healthy food, and pharmacological therapy is not improved. Conclusions. This study focuses on the role of a continuous educational program of a cardiac rehabilitation unit after the patient’s discharge. This home control program conducted by nurses specialized in cardiac rehabilitation, with the assistance of cardiologists, psychologists and physiotherapists, and in collaboration with the general practitioner, was quite cheap, and helped maximizing the knowledge of the disease and reinforcing correct life style in the patients. The results are not as good as expected, probably because one year does not represent a sufficient time, or because the educational intervention needs to be improved.


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