The Doctor Is In: Cardiac Rehab

Content is sponsored and provided by Henry Ford Health System

Cardiac rehab is great for recovering patients, but only 25% of heart patients participate.  The top reasons patients do not participate in cardiac rehab include issues with transportation, child or dependent care, an inability to miss work or other time constraints.  Health Systems in Windsor, Detroit and Ann Arbor have joined together to form an international consortium to address this issue. One of the ways Henry Ford Health System is addressing is by offering cardiac rehab through remote video conferencing on smartphones. You can be at your gym, your work gym, or in your basement and do live cardiac rehab with a Henry Ford rehabilitation specialist. Henry Ford Health System offers it at centers across southeast Michigan, including the new Cardiology department at Henry Ford Bloomfield Township on Telegraph. 

Expert: 
Stephen Keteyian, PHd
Director of Preventive Cardiology in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Henry Ford Health System

Determined to help more patients experience the benefits of cardiac rehab, hospitals in the U.S. and Canada have created the Great Lakes Cardiac Rehabilitation Consortium. It includes cardiologists, scientists, exercise specialists, clinical exercise physiologists, and statisticians from the University of Windsor's Department of Kinesiology; Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare; Lawson Health Research Institute; Henry Ford Health System; and the University of Michigan - Michigan Medicine.
 
As part of the rehab program, patients watch a series of 28 videos, which are available to everyone. Search "Henry Ford Home Based cardiac rehab" for videos on heart disease, what it is, how to prevent it, nutrition, exercise, managing energy and smart shopping.

Cardiac rehabilitation experts along the Canadian/U.S. border have formed an international consortium to reduce future risk and improve quality of life in people living with heart disease.

The Great Lakes Cardiac Rehabilitation Consortium was created to increase participation in cardiac rehab, to return patients to improved health after a heart attack or other cardiac-related illness. 

Studies have shown only about 25% of eligible patients participate in cardiac rehab post-event.  "Around the world, cardiac rehabilitation is underutilized, despite very strong evidence that the process
reduces recurrent incidents and increases long-term survival," said consortium member Dr. Steven J. Keteyian, director of Preventive Cardiology at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. "The Great Lakes Cardiac Rehabilitation Consortium's goals are two-fold. First, we will identify commonalities and differences in how cardiac rehab is delivered in the US and Canada. 

Second, we will identify and implement strategies that improve patient access and participation in rehab, which includes long-term improvement of healthy behaviors by patients."

Consortium members include southwestern Ontario and southeast Michigan cardiologists, scientists, exercise specialists, clinical exercise physiologists, and statisticians from the University of Windsor's Department of Kinesiology; Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare; Lawson Health Research Institute; Henry Ford Health System; and the University of Michigan - Michigan Medicine.
"Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide," said Dr. Clinton A. Brawner, clinical exercise physiologist at Henry Ford Hospital. "Cardiac rehabilitation is an important intervention that has been shown to reduce the effects of heart disease and improve quality of life. Unfortunately, there are many factors that limit participation. Working together with our colleagues in Canada and the United States, we hope to identify strategies that improve participation."

Cardiac rehabilitation is a medically supervised exercise program designed to:
Improve cardiovascular function
Lessen risk for another heart-related event
Assist with long-term adherence to healthier lifestyle habits such as regular exercise and
Improved nutrition
Provide behavioral support

Patients typically travel to a hospital or medical clinic two or three times a week to undergo supervised exercise and received structured lifestyle and behavioral education.

The top reasons patients do not participate in cardiac rehab include issues with transportation, child or dependent care, an inability to miss work or other time constraints, Dr. Brawner said.
"One way Henry Ford Health System is addressing this is to offer remote cardiac rehab using telehealth technologies," he said.

Using a smart phone, patients are supervised by a clinical exercise physiologist while they exercise in their home, work, or community fitness facility. The physiologist provides education through online videos, which are then reinforced with one-on-one discussions during the exercise session. "We are currently conducting a clinical trial to test whether this strategy is as effective as traditional, facility-based cardiac rehabilitation," Dr. Brawner added.

The consortium's early work will be funded by a Partners in Research (PiR) Seed Grant - University of Windsor and Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare. GLCRC participants are:
Cheri McGowan and Kevin Milne - University of Windsor;
Jennifer Voth and Jason Petro - Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare Cardiac Wellness Program;
Neville Suskin and Peter Prior - Lawson Health Research Institute, St. Joseph's Health Care
London - Cardiac Rehabilitation;
Steven J. Keteyian, Clinton A. Brawner, Jonathan K. Ehrman, and Dennis Kerrigan - Henry Ford
Health System;
Melvyn Rubenfire, Devraj Sukul, and Cheri McGowan - University of Michigan.
"To our knowledge, the GLCRC is the first of its kind in North America and lays a foundation for longterm international collaboration and impact," says Cheri McGowan, co-founder of the consortium. "This work will help optimize cardiac rehabilitation and potentially improve the lives of thousands in our
individual communities and beyond."