Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Virtual Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Rapid Shift In Care Delivery In Response To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Clare Koning, Brigitte Friesen, Justin Daigle, Anita Ytsma

Patient Experience Journal

Cardiac rehabilitation is an integral part of recovery from a critical cardiac life event. This preventative strategy involves exercise rehabilitation, education, lifestyle modification, and self-management coaching – preparing patients for lifelong changes. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, these activities were supervised by clinicians in-person, on hospital grounds, and in large groups. However, due to pandemic regulations in Canada imposed in March 2020, all in-person group activities were restricted. Within the first two months of the pandemic, almost half of cardiac rehabilitation services in Canada closed and half of their employees were deployed to other areas. To continue to provide patient …