3:30 PM – 4:30 PM – SESSION 4
Capacitar a los pacientes mediante la rehabilitación cardiaca
Puntos destacados de la sesión
In this WHF Heart Café conversation, Sidney C. Smith (UNC) and Julie Redfern (Bond University) hosts with panelists Abraham Babu (Manipal), Dion Candelaria (University of Sydney) and Irene Gibson (Ireland) to launch the World Heart Federation Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Roadmap. The panel explores why cardiac rehabilitation (CR) remains underused, how to scale hybrid & tele-rehabilitation, ways to boost enrolment and completion (opt-out referrals, bedside endorsement), and how to embed CR within lifelong cardiovascular health, policy & financing, and equitable access in both HICs and LMICs.
Principales conclusiones
Underuse despite Class I evidence
Awareness, workforce gaps, and perceived ROI limit referrals—especially in low-resource settings and for women and other under-represented groups.
Make referral opt-out
Automatic (eHR/paper) referral plus clear bedside endorsement from cardiologists/surgeons increases enrolment and attendance.
Hybrid & tele-rehab work when flexible
Combine in-person assessment with remote follow-up (phone, apps, activity trackers) and offer on-site check-ins to maximize reach, safety, and adherence.
From “rehab program” to lifelong care
Reframe as lifelong cardiovascular health with 6–12-month check-ins, peer support, and patient empowerment rather than time-limited classes.
Build capacity
Invest in education & standardized curricula for multidisciplinary teams (nurses, physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, dietitians, psychologists), including LMIC-ready online training.
Models that scale
Use hub-and-spoke networks linking specialist centers to community sites; integrate CR within chronic disease management pathways (cardio-metabolic & respiratory).
Policy & financing matter
Include CR in national strategies, benefit packages, and reimbursement; align with UN SDGs to strengthen advocacy.
Data for value
Routine quality metrics (enrolment, completion, readmissions, risk-factor control) and registries power funding cases and continuous improvement.
Equity by design
Co-create options for women, older adults, rural/remote and minority groups; address digital literacy and access barriers.
¿Quién debe verlo?
Cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, GPs, nurses, physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, dietitians, psychologists, program managers, payers & policymakers, digital-health teams, and patient organizations working on cardiac rehabilitation, secondary prevention, and chronic disease management in both HICs and LMICs.
Sesión de rehabilitación cardiovascular - FAQ
¿Por qué se sigue infrautilizando la rehabilitación cardiaca?
Conocimiento limitado, falta de personal y financiación, horarios de consulta poco convenientes y falta de derivaciones automáticas. La exclusión voluntaria de las derivaciones y la clara aprobación por parte de los médicos tratantes mejoran sistemáticamente la aceptación.
¿Cómo es la tele-rehabilitación "híbrida" y qué seguridad ofrece?
Una combinación flexible de evaluación en persona y seguimiento a distancia (teléfono/vídeo, aplicaciones, rastreadores) con controles presenciales opcionales. Los programas deben supervisar la adherencia, garantizar vías de escalada para los pacientes de mayor riesgo y apoyar la alfabetización digital.
¿Cómo impulsar la matriculación y la finalización de los estudios?
Utilizar derivaciones automáticas, vías estandarizadas y opciones centradas en el paciente (domicilio, comunidad, teleasistencia). Implicar a los pacientes en el momento del diagnóstico, involucrar a familiares y compañeros, y programar más allá del horario de 9 a 5 para adaptarse al trabajo y a los cuidados.
¿Cuáles son las estrategias de ampliación probadas para los PBI y los PIM?
Embed CR within primary care & chronic disease programs, adopt hub-and-spoke networks, invest in online training, and secure policy and reimbursement. Collect routine outcome data to demonstrate value.