Cardiac Rehabilitation Online Pilot: Extending Reach of Cardiac Rehabilitation

• Published in: The Journal of cardiovascular nursing Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 7 - 13
• Main Authors: Higgins, Rosemary O, Rogerson, Michelle, Murphy, Barbara M, Navaratnam, Hema, Butler, Michael V, Barker, Lauren, Turner, Alyna, Lefkovits, Jeffrey, Jackson, Alun C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Copyright Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved 01-01-2017; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies
• Subjects: Cardiac Rehabilitation - instrumentation; Cardiac Rehabilitation - methods; Cardiology; Cardiovascular disease; Clinical outcomes; Disease management; Female; Heart Diseases - rehabilitation; Home Care Services - organization & administration; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nursing; Nursing care; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Pilot Projects; Rehabilitation; Self Care - methods; Self help; Telemedicine; Telemedicine - methods; Australia
• ISSN: 0889-4655; 1550-5049
• DOI: 10.1097/JCN.0000000000000297

BACKGROUND:While cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is recommended for all patients after an acute cardiac event, limitations exist in reach.
OBJECTIVE:The purpose of the current study was to develop and pilot a flexible online CR program based on self-management principles “Help Yourself Online.”
METHODS:The program was designed as an alternative to group-based CR as well as to complement traditional CR. The program was based on existing self-management resources developed previously by the Heart Research Centre. Twenty-one patients admitted to Cabrini Health for an acute cardiac event were recruited to test the program. The program was evaluated using qualitative and quantitative methods.
RESULTS:Quantitative results demonstrated that patients believed the program would assist them in their self-management. Qualitative evaluation, using focus group and interview methods with 15 patients, showed that patients perceived the online CR approach to be a useful instrument for self-management.
CONCLUSIONS:Broader implications of the data include the acceptability of the intervention, timing of intervention delivery, and patients’ desire for additional online community support.