Authors (including presenting author) :
Kwan KY, Leung YW, Choi WK, Yeung CM, Li KS, Sit LK, Tong KK, Chu WY, Ng YB, Yue CS
Affiliation :
Cardiac Rehabilitation Team, United Christian Hospital
Introduction :
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the major leading cause of mortality globally. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) offers comprehensive and multidisciplinary intervention with an aim to reduce recurrent cardiovascular event and its mortality, enhance exercise capacity and improve quality of life and psychological well-being. Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused interruption of the conventional face-to-face CR due to need of minimizing risk of COVID-19 infection and maintaining social distancing. Since December 2020, our CR team has adopted newly digital-based CR services.
Objectives :
To evaluate the utility of digital-based cardiac rehabilitation program during COVID-19 pandemic
Methodology :
Plan: Digital CR program was targeted for CVD clients with coronary revascularization completed. It comprised of educational videos with online post-test surveys and 2 telephone follow-up.
Do: 4 educational videos were designed by cardiac rehabilitation nursing team (CRN), clinical psychologist (CP), physiotherapist (PT), occupational therapist (OT) and social worker from Health Resource Centre (HRCSW), which focus on CVD risk factor modification, physical activity counselling, psychosocial management and low-intensity exercise training. Upon recruitment, clients were guided to preview videos via QR codes and access to online surveys using their smartphones. 2 Telephone follow-up on bi-weekly basis were conducted to monitor clients’ progress and symptoms. Client satisfaction survey was performed at the end of the program.
Result & Outcome :
Check: From December 2020 to December 2021, 53 clients were recruited with 92.5% attendance. All attendees reviewed all 4 educational videos. Results of post-test surveys revealed a positive learning experience with average scores over 70% (i.e. HRCSW 97.4%, CRN 91.9%, CP 75.9%, OT 74.2% and PT 73.3%). 2 clients suffering from emotional distress after recent CVD were referred to CP for appropriate actions. Upon client satisfaction survey using 5-point Likert scale, clients were satisfied with the digital CR program rating at 4.71. They were empowered in risk factors modification rating at 4.55, and agreed that the program enhanced their knowledge and disease management rating at 4.42.
Act: The digital CR program was effective in maintaining CR care for clients with recent CVD. 53% clients were able to complete the online surveys themselves, though the remaining ones were done upon telephone follow-up.
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the implementation of healthcare delivery using digital-based platform. However, facilitation of using smart technology and building user confidence among our local community, especially for the elderly, remains a crucial challenge.
