Virtual Care Strategies to Improve Participation in Cardiac Rehabilitation Among Veterans

Underutilization of cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality for adults in developed countries, including Veterans. Despite the guideline recommendations for cardiac rehabilitation (CR) for patients with qualifying cardiovascular conditions, participation rates have been dismal over the decades without significant improvement, both within VA and non-VA programs. Only 16.3% of Medicare patients and 10.3% of Veterans participated in center-based CR (CBCR) between 2007 and 2011 after hospitalization for MI, percutaneous coronary intervention, or coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Participation in CR is especially low for older adults (Medicare beneficiaries), Veterans, women, and individuals from underserved populations. Completion of CR programs is also a major problem as 24% and 50% of participants drop-out from CR programs. Barriers for CBCR participation and adherence include considerable travel burden, co-pay for non-VHA programs, time away from work, or being the primary caregiver for children or older adults. Home-based CR (HBCR) and hybrid CR programs (combination of CBCR and HBCR) are alternative approaches to promote exercise and provide education that have been traditionally provided in CBCR. HBCR programs have been studied in depth showing equivalency to CBCR without increased adverse events. However, although the provision of HBCR has alleviated some of the barriers related to CBCR participation, barriers to participation in HBCR include: lack of peer social support, safety concerns for patients at higher risk, lack of face-to-face monitoring and communication, and less patient accountability. While completion rates are marginally higher for HBCR programs than center-based programs, less than half (48%) of Veterans participating in the investigator's SFVAMC HBCR program completed at least nine sessions, well above the VA average of 13%.

Home-based CR in the VA system. Across the VA, only 28% of VAMCs (35/124) have a CBCR program, and low participation is a significant problem with only 8.4% of Veterans participating in at least one session of CBCR at a VA or non-VA contracted site. A growing number of alternative HBCR and hybrid programs now exist in the VA health system after a recent initiative by the Office of Rural health (ORH) to sponsor the expansion of 30 alternative programs nationally. In addition, there have been accelerated efforts by VA CBCR programs to improve access to CR services remotely (equivalent to HBCR) due to the limits on in-person care from the COVID-19 pandemic. VA program evaluations have shown Veterans preferred HBCR compared to CBCR, and Veterans hospitalized at a facility with a HBCR program were 3 to 4 times more likely to participate in HBCR compared to any CBCR program.