Improved monitoring for outcomes of cardiac rehabilitation

In 2020, the Heart Foundation co-chaired a national task force developing 10 evidence-based quality indicators for cardiac rehabilitation programs.

Cardiac rehabilitation is an effective form of preventing secondary, post-hospital discharge cardiovascular events. Collecting data to better understand the delivery and use of cardiac rehabilitation services will help to identify:

Levels of service available
Usage of these services
Barriers and opportunities to increase referrals to cardiac rehabilitation
Opportunities to improve the delivery of cardiac rehabilitation and patient outcomes.

The task force worked to:

Develop quality indicators for national cardiac rehabilitation
Consult widely on the development of quality indicators
Overcome barriers to collecting data for each indicator
Identify and collaborate with government stakeholders to support and endorse implementing the indictors.

Pathway to Cardiac Recovery

Attending a post-heart attack rehabilitation program improves a patient’s recovery and supports their return to everyday activities. Across the 6 to 12-week Pathway to Cardiac Recovery program, patients learn about how to:

Participate in physical activity
Minimise lifestyle risk factors
Manage chronic disease
Reduce their chance of having future heart events.