Cardiac rehabilitation resources for healthcare providers
Useful cardiac rehabilitation resources for health professionals.
Key takeaways
- Research has shown that cardiac rehabilitation (cardiac rehab) improves cardiac risk factor profile, reduce hospital readmissions and improve quality of life.
- To deliver an effective cardiac rehab service with optimal patient outcomes, health providers must ensure that they deliver evidence-based, high quality content and exercise prescription and consistently assess the impact of these interventions.
- A Pathway to Cardiac Recovery: Standardised program content for Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation gives service providers a guide to deliver high-quality, evidence-based cardiac rehab programs.
The benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (cardiac rehab) are well established. Cardiac rehab gives your patients personalised support, guidance and intervention to assist their recovery and support long-term lifestyle changes.
Research has shown that cardiac rehab improves cardiac risk factor profile, reduces hospital readmissions and improves quality of life. As a result, the Heart Foundation strongly recommends that all Australians are referred to and attend a cardiac rehab program after a heart event.
Evidence-based program guide for cardiac rehabilitation
To deliver an effective cardiac rehabilitation service with positive patient outcomes, health providers must ensure the information offered in their program is based upon best available evidence.In 2019, an evidence-based and consensus-led standardised program of content for phase II cardiac rehab was developed for cardiac rehab providers. Download the Development of standardised programme content for phase II cardiac rehabilitation programmes in Australia using a modified Delphi process by Cartledge et al.
A Pathway to Cardiac Recovery: Standardised program content for Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation gives cardiac rehab service providers a guide to deliver standardised, high-quality, evidence-based cardiac rehabilitation programs either in person, or via telehealth or mobile health.
Newly agreed cardiac rehabilitation quality indicators
In early 2020, a set of locally relevant and internationally recognised National Cardiac Rehabilitation Quality Indicators was published. The aim was to evaluate existing standards of care, identify opportunities for quality improvement and compare the performance of Australian cardiac rehabilitation programs to international standards.
These indicators will support healthcare providers to identify barriers and opportunities to increase cardiac rehab referral; improve delivery processes and patient outcomes; and help inform development of best practice and alternative models of service provision.
To find out what data your program should be collecting, download the National Cardiac Rehabilitation Quality Indicators.
To find out about the National Cardiac Rehabilitation Quality Indicator Development Process read Cardiac Rehabilitation Quality in Australia: Proposed National Indicators for Field Testing.
How can I encourage my patients to attend cardiac rehabilitation?
As an effective intervention with short- and long-term benefit, cardiac rehab is an opportunity to support your patients’ recovery. The Heart Foundation has created several resources to help clinicians refer and encourage patients to attend an appropriate cardiac rehab program.Cardiac Rehab Advocacy contains resources to help healthcare professionals advocate the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation to patients and promote cardiac rehab and heart failure services in their local area to increase participation rates.
Cardiac Rehab patient support resources contain educational videos and resources for patients to better understand and manage their heart condition.
Cardiac Services Directory gives a comprehensive list of cardiac rehab services across Australia so you can identify a local service to refer your patients to. Alternately, you can call the Heart Foundation Helpline on 13 11 12 to find local cardiac rehab services.
Visit our Cardiac Rehabilitation Patient Resource page for more information to promote cardiac rehab to patients.
Heart Foundation and Australian Cardiovascular Health and Rehabilitation Association (ACRA) Position Statement on telehealth and cardiac rehabilitation
Participating in a cardiac rehabilitation program is a critical step in a person’s recovery from their heart attack or heart event. The Heart Foundation and the Australian Cardiovascular Health and Rehabilitation Association have developed a new position statement about the ongoing role of telehealth in cardiac rehabilitation service delivery.To find out more, see the Position Statement on telehealth and cardiac rehabilitation, or download it here.
References
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2047487320913379
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26442971/
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2047487320913379
- Cartledge S, Thomas E
- Cartledge S, Thomas E, Hollier K, et al. Development of standardised programme content for phase II cardiac rehabilitation programmes in Australia using a modified Delphi process. BMJ Open 2019;9:e032279. doi:10.1136/bmjopen2019-032279
Help Keep families together this Christmas
Help Keep families together this Christmas
Help Keep families together this Christmas
Together, we can make heart disease history. Donate today to help fund ground-breaking heart research and keep families together this Christmas. ...
Are you at risk of heart disease?
Are you at risk of heart disease?
Are you at risk of heart disease?
There is no single cause for any one heart condition, but there are risk factors that increase your chance of developing one. ...
Support us and help save Australian hearts
Support us and help save Australian hearts
Support us and help save Australian hearts
Join the fight against Australia’s biggest killer by supporting the Heart Foundation. ...
Heart Healthy Dinner Plan
Heart Healthy Dinner Plan
Heart Healthy Dinner Plan
Sign up now and discover delicious, easy to follow dinner recipes. Plus shopping lists, tips and other helpful information to make healthy eating easy. ...
Support and resources for health care professionals
Support and resources for health care professionals
Support and resources for health care professionals
Our range of clinical and patient support resources are available for you to use in your daily practice....
Fundraise to save Australian hearts
Fundraise to save Australian hearts
Fundraise to save Australian hearts
Join the Heart Foundation community. Together, we can make a real difference for Australian hearts. ...
Heart Foundation Recovery Support and Resources
Heart Foundation Recovery Support and Resources
Heart Foundation Recovery Support and Resources
Heart Foundation programs and resources to support your recovery....
Clinical Guidelines
Clinical Guidelines
Clinical Guidelines
Full list of clinical guidlines and references for CVD, heart failure, ACS, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, SCAD and RHD...
Aboriginal heart health
Aboriginal heart health
Aboriginal heart health
Visit the St Vincents Hospital NSW and Heart Foundation Aboriginal heart health website for more information...
The one that took Jan’s breath away
The one that took Jan’s breath away
The one that took Jan’s breath away
Open heart surgery to treat damaged heart valves has improved Jan's overall health....
Stay informed about COVID-19
Stay informed about COVID-19
Stay informed about COVID-19
If you have heart disease, you are more vulnerable to severe complications....
Heart Foundation supports Wollongong City Council’s draft 10-year cycling strategy
Heart Foundation supports Wollongong City Council’s draft 10-year cycling strategy
Heart Foundation supports Wollongong City Council’s draft 10-year cycling strategy
Media Release - 30 June 2020 ...
Breakfast recipes
Breakfast recipes
Breakfast recipes
Heart healthy breakfasts to start your day right...
Driving and travelling after a heart attack
Driving and travelling after a heart attack
Driving and travelling after a heart attack
Explore our guide for driving and heart attack recovery. ...
Raffles & Lotteries
Raffles & Lotteries
Raffles & Lotteries
Give yourself a chance to win $20,000 while helping the Heart Foundation to raise essential funds for heart research....
Snack recipes
Snack recipes
Snack recipes
Search for healthy snack ideas...
Practice Nurse Survey 2020
Practice Nurse Survey 2020
This survey has been designed to collect feedback from practice nurses about their awareness and use of Heart Foundation materials....
Meditation helped Grant recover from his heart attack
Meditation helped Grant recover from his heart attack
Meditation helped Grant recover from his heart attack
Thankfully for Grant Byrne, a lifelong Led Zeppelin fan, some quick thinking helped him avoid a stairway to heaven. Read Grant’s heart attack story now. ...
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Training Centre
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Training Centre
Training to support identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, in line with standard practice....
Nutrition after a heart attack
Nutrition after a heart attack
Nutrition after a heart attack
Discover key information on heart-healthy eating and drinking....
Supporting local Councils in South Australia
Supporting local Councils in South Australia
Supporting local Councils in South Australia
Resources to help support your council region to be healthy, connected and safe....
Life changing research currently underway
Life changing research currently underway
Life changing research currently underway
Search our current researcher's and the ground breaking research being undertaken....
Heart health submissions to Government
Heart health submissions to Government
Every day we are lobbying government and industry to improve heart health....
Absolute CVD risk assessment resources
Absolute CVD risk assessment resources
Resources and clinical information for health professionals...
Cardiac Rehabilitation Advocacy
Cardiac Rehabilitation Advocacy
Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) clinical resources
Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) clinical resources
Resources and clinical information for health professionals...
The Heart Foundation Research Program
The Heart Foundation Research Program
The Heart Foundation Research Program
We are Australia’s biggest non-government funder of world-class research into heart health. Learn more about our high impact research. ...
WEBINAR | Heart Health Checks: the critical role of the practice nurse
WEBINAR | Heart Health Checks: the critical role of the practice nurse
WEBINAR | Heart Health Checks: the critical role of the practice nurse
This webinar discusses the role of practice nurses in conducting heart health checks...
Do you have a Heart Story to share?
Do you have a Heart Story to share?
Do you have a Heart Story to share?
Sharing your story could help another Australian just like you to overcome their heart challenges...
Spring back to heart-healthy eating with these delicious tips
Spring back to heart-healthy eating with these delicious tips
Spring back to heart-healthy eating with these delicious tips
With spring sprung, now is the time to get back to heart-healthy eating. ...