“Comfort of Sitting at Home While Getting Information I Needed”: Experiences of Cardiac Patients Attending Virtual Cardiac Rehabilitation
Matthew R. Fuda, BSc,
Pooja Patel, MHA,
Judy Van Es, MScOT,
Karen Mosleh, MSc,
Katelyn Cullen, BSc, MSc,
Eva Lonn, MD, MSc, FRCPC, FACC,
J.D. Schwalm, MD, MSc, FRCPC,
Jacob Crawshaw, PhD
Affiliations
Matthew R. Fuda, BSc
Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Corresponding author: Matthew R. Fuda, 11 Shand Ave, Etobicoke, Ontario M8X 1T4, Canada. Tel.: +1-647-463-2322.
Pooja Patel, MHA
Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Judy Van Es, MScOT
Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Karen Mosleh, MSc
Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Centre for Evidence-Based Implementation, Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Katelyn Cullen, BSc, MSc
Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Centre for Evidence-Based Implementation, Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Eva Lonn, MD, MSc, FRCPC, FACC
Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Centre for Evidence-Based Implementation, Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
J.D. Schwalm, MD, MSc, FRCPC
Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Centre for Evidence-Based Implementation, Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Jacob Crawshaw, PhD
Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Centre for Evidence-Based Implementation, Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, several health care services, including cardiac rehabilitation (CR), had to transition to virtual delivery, for which formal evaluations are lacking. In this pilot study, we investigated the implementation of a virtual CR program by surveying 30 patients attending virtual CR. Virtual CR was well received, although patients provided recommendations to improve delivery such as offering individual sessions and changing how education materials were delivered. Virtual delivery of CR likely has a role in health care, either independently or as part of a hybrid model; however, further evaluation is required. Résumé: En raison de la pandémie de COVID-19, plusieurs services de santé, comme la réadaptation cardiaque (RC), ont dû faire la transition vers le mode virtuel, pour lequel il manque d’évaluations formelles. Dans cette étude pilote, nous avons examiné la mise en œuvre d’un programme de RC virtuel en interrogeant 30 patients participant à un tel programme. La RC en mode virtuel a été accueillie favorablement, même si les patients ont formulé des recommandations pour en améliorer la prestation, comme offrir des séances individuelles et changer la façon dont le matériel éducatif est présenté. La prestation de la RC en mode virtuel a probablement un rôle à jouer dans les soins de santé, soit de manière indépendante, soit dans le cadre d’un modèle hybride; cependant, une évaluation plus poussée est requise.
