Improving Veteran Referral to Cardiac Rehabilitation
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorVA Office of Research and Development
About this trial
This study will test whether the Veterans Cardiac Rehabilitation Referral Program (VCR2P) improves cardiac rehabilitation participation by studying 816 Veterans across three VA medical centers in Nashville, Dallas, and Gainesville over 12 months. The trial compares referral rates from the 6 months before implementing the program to 6 months after, using a "before and after" design since randomization would be impractical. The study will measure whether the program increases the proportion of eligible Veterans who receive cardiac rehabilitation referrals and whether more Veterans actually attend rehabilitation sessions. Additionally, focus groups with physicians, nurses, and Veterans will identify what helps or hinders the program's success, providing essential insights for expanding this intervention to other VA facilities nationwide if it proves effective.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
All Veterans hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction, percutaneous coronary intervention, cardiac valve surgery, coronary artery bypass grafting, or systolic heart failure at the three participating VA medical centers (Nashville, Dallas, and Gainesville).
Disqualifiers
No exclusion criteria during the intervention period
however, post-hoc analysis will exclude Veterans with documented reasons preventing CR attendance including death during hospitalization or within 30 days of discharge, discharge to inpatient rehabilitation or skilled nursing facilities, significant cognitive impairment, high-risk ventricular arrhythmias, or explicit refusal of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) services.
Trial design
Design model
Single group
Treatments tested in this trial
Veterans Cardiac Rehabilitation Referral Program
Behavioral1. A CDS tool that identifies Veterans hospitalized with CR-eligible conditions and prompts physicians to refer them to CR. 2. Educational materials that explain to Veterans the benefits and importance of participating in CR. 3. Defined responsibilities for a facility-based CR referral coordinator who will support development and oversight of the referral process.
Treatment groups
816 Participants
are divided into 1 treatment groupGroup A: Veterans Cardiac Rehabilitation Referral ProgramExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Cardiac rehabilitation referral
Proportion of eligible Veterans referred to cardiac rehabilitation.
Time frame
From hospital admission to 30 days after dischargeSecondary outcomes
1
Cardiac rehabilitation initiation
Proportion of eligible Veterans attending at least one cardiac rehabilitation session.
Time frame
Within 6 months of hospital dischargeSponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov