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Evaluation of an early discharge service for cardiac rehabilitation at home Dal-Santo, Mary Gail

Abstract

This study evaluates the outcomes of a hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation program designed to deliver the first phase of cardiac rehabilitation services at home. The program was established in a community hospital in 1985, operating under the administration of the hospital's Medical Day Centre. Patients suffering from acute myocardial infarction (MI) are referred to the program by their physician and receive services from a cardiac nurse specialist immediately upon discharge. The services continue for a period of 6 weeks. The outcomes of importance in the study are the effects of the program on hospital services in the initial 10 month period and on patient's health related behaviour 3 months post infarction. Results of the study indicate that program goals were achieved during the initial 10 months of the study. Physicians referred 92% of the eligible patients and the average length of stay (ALOS) in hospital was satisfactorily reduced. For patients with uncomplicated MI the ALOS was 8.6 days by the tenth month. At 3 month follow up, patients reported significant improvements over their pre infarction health related behaviour. There were significant increases in the frequency of light exercise (p

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