Within 2 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, 41.2% of cardiac rehabilitation programs in Canada closed, and remaining programs shifted to remote one-to-one care.
Cross-Sectional
Yes
The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant closures and disruptions to cardiac rehabilitation programs in Canada, highlighting the need for strategies to support remote and group-based tele-rehabilitation.
p-value: p=<0.001
BACKGROUND: Cardiac rehabilitation programs (CRPs) had to change quickly in response to a shift in clinical priorities related to to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Yet, no study has examined the effect of COVID-19 on CRPs and if there has been an adequate transition to alternative programming. METHODS: To examine the status of CRPs during the COVID-19 pandemic, a web-based questionnaire was completed by CRP managers from April 23rd to May 14th, 2020. RESULTS: 80% by phone and/or e-mail. Any tele-rehabilitation (one-to-one/group) was also used by 32.7% and 43.5% of CRPs to deliver exercise and education, respectively (mostly one-to-one). Resource barriers cited by open and closed CRPs were related to technology-no tele-rehabilitation, lack of equipment and patient access (35% of all barriers)-and 25.3% of barriers were owing to greater demands on staff time. CONCLUSIONS: Within 2-months of COVID-19 being declared a pandemic, 41.2% of CRPs were closed and almost half of employees redeployed. Less time-efficient one-to-one models of remote care, mostly by phone/e-mail, were adopted. Vulnerable populations were disproportionately affected, becoming ineligible owing to safety concerns. Strategies to open closed CRPs, admission of high-risk/vulnerable populations, and offering of group-based tele-rehabilitation should be a national priority.
Marzolini et al. (Sat,) conducted a cross-sectional in Cardiac rehabilitation. COVID-19 pandemic was evaluated on Status of cardiac rehabilitation programs (closure rate) (p=<0.001). Within 2 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, 41.2% of cardiac rehabilitation programs in Canada closed, and remaining programs shifted to remote one-to-one care.