Scaling virtual cardiac rehabilitation at Kaiser Permanente

The rising incidence of chronic disease poses a challenge to healthcare leaders striving to improve the health of the populations they serve. Although programmes and solutions are often available to assist patients in managing and even reversing their chronic diseases, practical constraints frequently hinder participation and success. Cardiac rehabilitation for the 7.8 per cent of US adults with coronary artery disease is no exception. Traditional programmes have limited space and high out-of-pocket costs and require frequent in-person visits, resulting in low enrolment and completion rates. This article highlights Kaiser Permanente’s (KP) journey in piloting and scaling a virtual cardiac rehabilitation (VCR) programme that uses wearable technology and a case management model to overcome barriers to participation and success in cardiac rehabilitation. To date, the programme has enrolled more than 28,000 patients and achieved enrolment rates 3 times higher and graduation rates 50 per cent higher than traditional cardiac rehabilitation programmes. Readers of this article will gain insights into the operational and technological aspects of the VCR programme, the lessons learned as it was developed and scaled, and opportunities for enhancing VCR to further elevate the patient and clinician experience.