Abstract No: 576 Quality Indicators in Cardiac Rehabilitation: Ensuring Effective, Safe and Outcome-Driven Care

Purpose: Despite strong evidence supporting cardiac rehabilitation (CR), considerable variation exists in program delivery, safety practices, and patient outcomes. This study aims to describe established quality indicators (QIs) that can standardize CR services and guide evidence-based quality improvement. QIs strengthen care across multiple levels by supporting safer patient outcomes, offering clinicians clear performance benchmarks, assisting institutions in accreditation and reducing variability, informing national planning and resource allocation, and aligning services with international frameworks such as ICCPR, ACC/AHA, and WHO. Relevance: QIs align with global standards from ICCPR, ACC/AHA, AACVPR, and WHO, promoting accountability, safety, and outcome-based rehabilitation. With physiotherapy becoming an integral part of the Allied Health Professions (AHP) under national regulatory structures, competency-based and outcome-driven practice is essential. Accreditation bodies such as NABH, JCI, and CARF emphasise quality and safety, making QIs highly relevant for physiotherapy-led CR programs. Participants: This study is a narrative review based on published literature and clinical guidelines, with no human participants involved. Methods: A narrative review was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect. Search terms included the MeSH headings “Cardiac Rehabilitation”, “Quality Indicators, and “Quality Improvement”, combined with related keywords. English-language articles and major guidelines were reviewed. Analysis: A total of 28 articles were screened, and 12 were selected based on relevance, methodological quality, and contribution to CR quality measurement. Results: QIs were grouped into structure, process, and outcome domains. Tools such as run charts, Pareto analysis, benchmarking, and root-cause analysis were identified as effective for monitoring and improving these indicators. Conclusion: Quality indicators offer a measurable framework to enhance the safety, consistency, and clinical effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation. Integrating QI tools allows physiotherapists to identify gaps and drive continuous improvement across CR programs. Implication: Strengthens physiotherapy-led CR program development, accreditation, and quality assurance across all healthcare levels.