Patient Perception When Transitioning from Classic to Remote Assisted Cardiac Rehabilitation

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Digital Health
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Cardiac rehabilitation programs are crucial for heart disease patient recovery.
• Limited access to traditional cardiac rehabilitation in Romania necessitates innovative solutions.
• The Virtual Coaching Activities for Rehabilitation in Elderly (vCare) project explores technology integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate patient perception of technology and remote monitoring in cardiac recovery.
• To assess the usability and acceptance of the vCare system among heart failure and ischemic heart disease patients.
• To gather patient feedback for optimizing technology-assisted cardiac rehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• A system usability survey was administered to eleven patients (5 heart failure, 6 ischemic heart disease) during the vCare project's Living Lab Phase.
• Inclusion criteria included admission to UMFCD cardiology and specific heart failure (NYHA II-III) or ischemic heart disease diagnoses.
• The survey focused on patients' perceptions of the system's technical and medical functionalities.

Main Results:

• The vCare system received excellent preliminary results from the heart failure patient group.
• Good preliminary results were observed from the ischemic heart disease patient group.
• Patient perception data is vital for adapting the rehabilitation technology to user needs.

Conclusions:

• Technology, including remote monitoring, shows promise in enhancing cardiac rehabilitation.
• Positive patient perception is essential for the successful adoption and adaptation of digital health tools in cardiology.
• The vCare project highlights the potential of technology to overcome access barriers in cardiac rehabilitation.