Cardiac rehabilitation models of care

Overview

Initiative type

Model of Care

Status

Deliver

Published

07 February 2025

Summary

Develop and implement a clinical standard for cardiac rehabilitation (CR) services to ensure standardized evidence-based content informs the delivery of Queensland Health CR programs. The standard was developed in collaboration with the clinician working group, QCCN and aligned with best practice evidence, determining the key components of a CR program.

The National CR quality indicators were mapped to the Queensland standard and incorporated into the reporting. The application of the QH CR Clinical Standards enables consistent CR delivery across Qld. CR programs participate in the Queensland Cardiac Outcomes Registry (QCOR) and thus participate in a quality program measuring key clinical and process indicators. Performance against the clinical and process indicators identify key areas for service improvement, to enable optimal patient outcomes.

Key dates

Jul 2023 - Dec 2024

Implementation sites

Queensland Health CR programs

Partnerships

Queensland CR program advisor and Queensland Cardiac Clinical Network

Aim

To reduce the variation in care, improve access as well as safety and quality of cardiac rehabilitation programs.

Benefits

  • patients receiving best practice Cardiac Rehabilitation
  • standardised and consistent practice across 35 public CR programs
  • participation in quality program driving service improvement and redesign

Background

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in Australia, accounting for nearly 20,000 deaths in 2020. Modifiable risk factors account for up to 80% of CHD and up to 50% of CHD admissions are repeat events. Cardiac rehabilitation is a secondary prevention program delivered by an interdisciplinary team aiming to halt cardiac disease progression and optimize functioning. CR provides long term self-management strategies achieved through exercise and lifestyle change education and has demonstrated to be cost-effective.

CR programs are delivered across the State using a variety of models of care dependent upon local resourcing. However, to be classified as a Queensland Health CR program, alignment with the clinical standards and use of QCOR is required.

Solutions implemented

  • Queensland Health Clinical Standards for cardiac rehabilitation have been developed.
  • The Queensland CR program advisor supports QH CR programs to review clinical indicator performance, design and implement service improvement initiatives.

Evaluation and results

Quarterly reporting occurs from QCOR to the Hospital and Health Services. Participation in the QCOR Annual Report enables transparency and benchmarking with other HHSs.

Lessons learnt

Co-design of clinical indicators with clinicians improves acceptability and adoption into practice.

References

About cardiac rehabilitation services | Queensland Health

Further Reading

Please contact the Qld CR program advisor to access the resources.

Key contact

Samara Phillips

Queensland Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Advisor

Queensland Cardiac Clinical Network

Email:  samara.phillips@health.qld.gov.au

Last updated: February 2025

Back to top