Heart Rehabilitation for All

Summary

Today, 50 % of cardiac patients do not participate in cardiac rehabilitation due difficulties in navigating and accessing rehabilitation activities.

HeRTA is a partnership project involving Center for Clinical Research and Prevention (CCRP), Hvidovre Hospital, Rehabilitation Center Albertslund and Copenhagen (municipalities), the Danish Heart Association, and local sports associations. A patient advisory board participate throughout the project to ensure a continued focus on patient interests.

The overall aim of HeRTA is to develop and test the feasibility of a new, sustainable model for rehabilitation supporting patients to take part in rehabilitation and promoting life-long activity for all patients with heart disease. To ensure equal access to rehabilitation some activities are open to all patients, while others are tailored specifically to patients with vulnerability.

The project unfolds in three phases: Development (1. January 1. 2020 - 14. November 2021): Partners and patients co-create content and procedures; Feasibility (15. November 2021 - 31. July 2023): The feasibility of the model is tested, and promising components are identified; Long-term follow-up and implementation (1. August 2023 - 31. December 2025): Long term effects are investigated and promising components are tested in new settings.

During the feasibility phase the investigators will examine whether the intervention activities are feasible, acceptable, and may have positive effects for patients with heart disease. The investigators use qualitative data on implementation and acceptability of intervention among partners and patients. An randomisered controlled trial (RCT) component will assess effects on patient participation rates, health, physical activity level, and life quality. Data is collected from practitioners and patients through focus groups, observations, field notes, questionnaires, and interviews.

Results will point to:

* innovative ways to organize integrated rehabilitation pathways.
* approaches to ensuring rehabilitation targeted at patient needs.

Conditions

• Ischemic Heart Disease
• Cardiac Valve Surgery
• Persistent Atrial Fibrillation
• Heart Failure

Interventions

OTHER

Patient-targeted rehabilitation offers

In addition to usual rehabilitation services, patients in the intervention arm will receive patient-targeted rehabilitation offers to support the patients' participation and completion of their heart rehabilitation course.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Danish Heart Foundation

  collaborator OTHER

• Hvidovre University Hospital

  collaborator OTHER

• Albertslund Municipality

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Center for Clinical Research and Prevention

  lead NETWORK

Principal Investigators

• Hanne Birke, Ph.D. · Center for Clinical Research and Prevention

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-04-01

Primary Completion

2026-12-31

Completion

2026-12-31

Countries

• Denmark

Study Locations