Cost-Utility Analysis of a Cardiac Telerehabilitation Program: The Teledialog Project

Cost-Effectiveness of Telerehabilitation Compared to Traditional In-Person Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the cost-effectiveness of telerehabilitation compared to traditional in-person rehabilitation. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Ovid databases identified 14 eligible studies. The analysis followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines, assessing economic outcomes using incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Findings indicate that telerehabilitation was cost-effective in three out of 14 studies included in the cost-effectiveness analysis. The mean ICER for telerehabilitation compared to traditional rehabilitation varied, with a probability of cost-effectiveness reaching 90% at a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of $30,000 per QALY. However, at a WTP threshold of $0, the probability of cost-effectiveness remained low, suggesting that telerehabilitation does not always dominate in cost-effectiveness analyses. The study highlights the potential of telerehabilitation to provide similar or improved health outcomes compared to traditional rehabilitation while reducing travel costs and enhancing patient access. Increased patient satisfaction, reduced hospital readmissions, and improved adherence to rehabilitation protocols contributed to the economic benefits observed. However, methodological heterogeneity across studies remains a limitation. Given the growing adoption of digital health technologies, telerehabilitation presents a viable and economically efficient alternative to in-person rehabilitation. Policymakers should consider integrating telerehabilitation into routine healthcare services, particularly in resource-constrained settings, to optimize cost-effectiveness and enhance accessibility. Further research should focus on standardizing cost-effectiveness evaluation methods to strengthen evidence for large-scale implementation.

Remote Cardiac Rehabilitation With Wearable Devices

Although cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has been shown to improve exercise tolerance and prognosis in patients with cardiovascular diseases, there remains low participation in outpatient CR. This may be attributed to the patients' busy schedules and difficulty in visiting the hospital due to distance, cost, avoidance of exercise, and severity of coronary disease. To overcome these challenges, many countries are exploring the possibility of remote CR. Specifically, there is increasing attention on the development of remote CR devices, which allow transmission of vital information to the hospital via a remote CR application linked to a wearable device for telemonitoring by dedicated hospital staff. In addition, remote CR programs can support return to work after hospitalization. Previous studies have demonstrated the effects of remote CR on exercise tolerance. However, the preventive effects of remote CR on cardiac events and mortality remain controversial. Thus, safe and effective remote CR requires exercise risk stratification for each patient, telenursing by skilled staff, and multidisciplinary interventions. Therefore, quality assurance of telenursing and multi-disciplinary interventions will be essential for remote CR. Remote CR may become an important part of cardiac management in the future. However, issues such as cost-effectiveness and insurance coverage still persist.

Economic evaluation of remote patient monitoring and organizational analysis according to patient involvement: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

A literature review concerning the economic evaluation of telemonitoring was requested by the authority in charge of health evaluation in France, in a context of deployment of remote patient monitoring and identification of its financing. Due to the heterogeneity of existing telemonitoring solutions, it was necessary to stratify the evaluation according to patient involvement. Three levels of patient involvement are considered: weak (automated monitoring), medium (monitoring supported by a professional), and strong (active remote participation).

OBJECTIVES

We performed a scoping review to provide a comprehensive overview of different systems of telemonitoring and their reported cost-effectiveness.

METHODS

Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a search was performed in four databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library between January 1, 2013 and May 19, 2020. Remote patient monitoring should include the combination of three elements: a connected device, an organizational solution for data analysis and alert management, and a system allowing personalized interactions, and three degrees of involvement.

RESULTS

We identified 61 eligible studies among the 489 records identified. Heart failure remains the pathology most represented in the studies selected (n = 24). The cost-utility analysis was chosen in a preponderant way (n = 41). Forty-four studies (72 percent) reported that the intervention was expected cost-effective. Heterogeneity has been observed in the remote monitoring solutions but all systems are reported cost-effective. The small number of long-term studies does not allow conclusions to be drawn on the transposability.

CONCLUSIONS

Remote patient monitoring is reported to be cost-effective whatever the system and patient involvement.

Economic Evaluation of Telerehabilitation: Systematic Literature Review of Cost-Utility Studies

BACKGROUND

Telerehabilitation could benefit a large population by increasing adherence to rehabilitation protocols.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to review and discuss the use of cost-utility approaches in economic evaluations of telerehabilitation interventions.

METHODS

A review of the literature on PubMed, Scopus, Centres for Review and Dissemination databases (including the HTA database, the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, and the NHS Economic Evaluation Database), Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov (last search on February 8, 2021) was conducted in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. The inclusion criteria were defined in accordance with the PICOS (population, intervention, comparison, outcomes, and study design) system: the included studies had to evaluate patients in rehabilitation therapy for all diseases and disorders (population) through exercise-based telerehabilitation (intervention) and had to have a control group that received face-to-face rehabilitation (comparison), and these studies had to evaluate effectiveness through gain in quality of life (outcome) and used the design of randomized and controlled clinical studies (study).

RESULTS

We included 11 economic evaluations, of which 6 concerned cardiovascular diseases. Several types of interventions were assessed as telerehabilitation, consisting in monitoring of rehabilitation at home (monitored by physicians) or a rehabilitation program with exercise and an educational intervention at home alone. All studies were based on randomized clinical trials and used a validated health-related quality of life instrument to describe patients' health states. Four evaluations used the EQ-5D, 1 used the EQ-5D-5L, 2 used the EQ-5D-3L, 3 used the Short-Form Six-Dimension questionnaire, and 1 used the 36-item Short Form survey. The mean quality-adjusted life years gained using telerehabilitation services varied from -0.09 to 0.89. These results were reported in terms of the probability that the intervention was cost-effective at different thresholds for willingness-to-pay values. Most studies showed results about telerehabilitation as dominant (ie, more effective and less costly) together with superiority or noninferiority in outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

There is evidence to support telerehabilitation as a cost-effective intervention for a large population among different disease areas. There is a need for conducting cost-effectiveness studies in countries because the available evidence has limited generalizability in such countries.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42021248785; https://tinyurl.com/4xurdvwf.

Feasibility of Integrating MEditatioN inTO heaRt Disease (the MENTOR Study): A Phase II Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Comorbid depression and/or anxiety symptoms occur in 25% of patients attending cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs and are associated with poorer prognosis. There is a need to evaluate psychological interventions, including meditation, that have potential to improve psychological health in CR programs.

AIMS

The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and acceptability of integrating a meditation intervention into an existing Australian CR program for the reduction of depression and anxiety symptoms.

METHODS

This was a mixed-methods feasibility randomized controlled trial. Thirty-one patients with CVD and, at a minimum, mild depression and/or anxiety symptoms were randomized to meditation and standard CR or to standard CR alone. A 16-minute guided group meditation was delivered face-to-face once a week for 6 weeks, with daily self-guided meditation practice between sessions. Feasibility outcomes included screening, recruitment, and retention. Semistructured interviews of patients' (n = 10) and health professionals' (n = 18) perspectives of intervention participation and delivery were undertaken to assess acceptability. Between-group differences in depression, anxiety, stress, self-efficacy for mindfulness, and health status at 6 and 12 weeks were also assessed.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Meditation was considered feasible, with 83% (12/15) of the intervention group completing an average of 3.13 (SD, 2.56) out of 6 group meditation sessions and 5.28 (SD, 8.50) self-guided sessions. Meditation was considered acceptable by patients, clinicians, and health managers. Between-group differences in the number of CR sessions completed favored the intervention group in per-protocol analyses (intervention group vs control group, 12 vs 9 sessions; P = .014), which suggests that meditation may be useful to improve patients' adherence to exercise-based CR program.

Cost-effectiveness of home-based cardiac rehabilitation: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Centre-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is recognised as cost-effective for individuals following a cardiac event. However, home-based alternatives are becoming increasingly popular, especially since COVID-19, which necessitated alternative modes of care delivery. This review aimed to assess whether home-based CR interventions are cost-effective (vs centre-based CR).

METHODS

Using the MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO databases, literature searches were conducted in October 2021 to identify full economic evaluations (synthesising costs and effects). Studies were included if they focused on home-based elements of a CR programme or full home-based programmes. Data extraction and critical appraisal were completed using the NHS EED handbook, Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards and Drummond checklists and were summarised narratively. The protocol was registered on the PROSPERO database (CRD42021286252).

RESULTS

Nine studies were included in the review. Interventions were heterogeneous in terms of delivery, components of care and duration. Most studies were economic evaluations within clinical trials (8/9). All studies reported quality-adjusted life years, with the EQ-5D as the most common measure of health status (6/9 studies). Most studies (7/9 studies) concluded that home-based CR (added to or replacing centre-based CR) was cost-effective compared with centre-based options.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence suggests that home-based CR options are cost-effective. The limited size of the evidence base and heterogeneity in methods limits external validity. There were further limitations to the evidence base (eg, limited sample sizes) that increase uncertainty. Future research is needed to cover a greater range of home-based designs, including home-based options for psychological care, with greater sample sizes and the potential to acknowledge patient heterogeneity.

The cost-effectiveness of exercise-based cardiac telerehabilitation intervention: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Alternatives such as remotely delivered therapy in the home environment or telehealth represent an opportunity to increase overall cardiac rehabilitation (CR) utilization. Implementing alternatives into regular practice is the next step in development; however, the cost aspect is essential for policymakers. Limited economic budgets lead to cost-effectiveness analyses before implementation. They are appropriate in cases where there is evidence that the compared intervention provides a similar health benefit to usual care. This systematic review aimed to compare the cost-effectiveness of exercise-based telehealth CR interventions compared to standard exercise-based CR.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

PubMed and Web of Science databases were systematically searched up to August 2022 to identify randomized controlled trials assessing patients undergoing telehealth CR. The intervention was compared to standard CR protocols. The primary intent was to identify the cost-effectiveness. Interventions that met the criteria were home-based telehealth CR interventions delivered by information and communications technology (telephone, computer, internet, or videoconferencing) and included the results of an economic evaluation, comparing interventions in terms of cost-effectiveness, utility, costs and benefits, or cost-minimization analysis. The systematic review protocol was registered in the PROSPERO Registry (CRD42022322531).

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Out of 1525 identified studies, 67 articles were assessed for eligibility, and, at the end of the screening process, 12 studies were included in the present systematic review. Most studies (92%) included in this systematic review found strong evidence that exercise-based telehealth CR is cost-effective. Compared to CBCR, there were no major differences, except for three studies evaluating a significant difference in average cost per patient and intervention costs in favor of telehealth CR.

CONCLUSIONS

Telehealth CR based on exercise is as cost-effective as CBCR interventions. Funding telehealth CR by third-party payers may promote patient participation to increase overall CR utilization. High-quality research is needed to identify the most cost-effective design.

Actual status and future directions of cardiac telerehabilitation

Telerehabilitation (TR) was developed to achieve the same results as would be achieved by the standard rehabilitation process and to overcome potential geographical barriers and staff deficiencies. This is especially relevant in periodic crisis situations, including the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Proper execution of TR strategy requires both well-educated staff and dedicated equipment. Various studies have shown that TR may have similar effects to traditional rehabilitation in terms of clinical outcomes and may also reduce total healthcare costs per participant, including rehospitalization costs. However, as with any method, TR has its advantages and disadvantages, including a lack of direct contact or prerequisite, rudimentary ability of the patients to handle mobile devices, among other competencies. Herein, is a discussion of the current status of TR, focusing primarily on cardiac TR, describing some technical/organizational and legal aspects, highlighting the indications, examining cost-effectiveness, as well as outlining possible future directions.

A systematic review of economic analyses of home-based telerehabilitation

PURPOSE

Telerehabilitation, or the delivery of rehabilitation using information and communication technologies, may improve timely and equitable access to rehabilitation services at home. A systematic literature review was conducted of studies that formally documented the costs and effects of home-based telerehabilitation versus in-person rehabilitation across all health conditions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Six electronic databases were searched from inception to 13 July 2021 (APA, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Embase, EmCare, Medline (Ovid), and PubMed) using a protocol developed by a medical librarian. A quality appraisal of full economic evaluation studies was conducted using the Drummond 10-point quality checklist.

RESULTS

Thirty-five studies were included in this review covering various rehabilitation types and diverse populations. The majority were published in the last six years. Available evidence suggests that telerehabilitation may result in similar or lower costs as compared to in-person rehabilitation for the health care system and for patients. However, the impact of telerehabilitation on long-term clinical outcomes and health-related quality of life remains unclear.

CONCLUSIONS

More high quality and robust economic evaluations exploring the short- and long-term costs and other impacts of telerehabilitation on patients, caregivers, and health care systems across all types of patient populations are still required.Implications for rehabilitationHome-based telerehabilitation may reduce barriers in access to care for individuals living in the community.Economic analyses can inform health care system decision-making by evaluating the costs and effects associated with telerehabilitation.This study found that telerehabilitation may result in similar or lower costs as in-person rehabilitation; however, its impact on health-related quality of life is unclear.

Costs and effects of telerehabilitation in neurological and cardiological diseases: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Telerehabilitation in neurological and cardiological diseases is an alternative rehabilitation that improves the quality of life and health conditions of patients and enhances the accessibility to health care. However, despite the reported benefits of telerehabilitation, it is necessary to study its impact on the healthcare system.

METHODS

The systematic review aims to investigate the costs and results of telerehabilitation in neurological and cardiological diseases. MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched from 2005 to 2021, for studies that assess the costs and results of telerehabilitation compared to traditional rehabilitation (center-based programs) in neurological and cardiological diseases. A narrative synthesis of results was carried out.

RESULTS

A total of 8 studies (865 participants) of 430 records were included. Three studies were related to the costs and results of telerehabilitation in neurological diseases (specifically in stroke). In total, five studies assessed telerehabilitation in cardiological diseases (chronic heart failure, coronary heart disease, acute coronary syndrome, and cardiovascular diseases). The duration of the telerehabilitation ranged from 6 to 48 weeks. The studies included cost-analysis, cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness, or cost-utility. In total, four studies found significant cost/savings per person between $565.66 and $2,352.00 (p < 0.05). In contrast, most studies found differences in costs and clinical effects between the telerehabilitation performed and the rehabilitation performed at the clinic. Just one study found quality-adjusted life years (QALY) significant differences between groups [Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per QALY ($-21,666.41/QALY).

DISCUSSION

Telerehabilitation is an excellent alternative to traditional center rehabilitation, which increases the accessibility to rehabilitation to more people, either due to the geographical situation of the patients or the limitations of the health systems. Telerehabilitation seems to be as clinical and cost-effective as traditional rehabilitation, even if, generally, telerehabilitation is less costly. More research is needed to evaluate health-related quality of life and cost-effectiveness in other neurological diseases.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

[https://figshare.com/articles/journal_ contribution/Review_Protocol_Costs_and_effects_of_Telerehabilitation_in_ Neurological_and_Cardiological_Diseases_A_Systematic_Review/19619838], identifier [19619838].

Consumer perspectives of telehealth in ambulatory care in an Australian health network

We aimed to explore consumer experiences of ambulatory telehealth services and whether consumer experiences differed according to whether they received their consultation using telephone or video technology. We conducted structured telephone interviews with patient consumers who had received a recent remote consultation by telephone or video call, at local ambulatory allied health or multidisciplinary services within a large public metropolitan public health network. Respondents were asked about their recent experience and future choices in relation to telehealth. Responses from consumers who received telephone and video consultations were compared. Consumers from community rehabilitation, community health, allied health outpatients, multidisciplinary specialist clinics and mental health services participated (n = 379), of whom 245 received a telephone consultation (65%) and 134 a video consultation (35%). Almost half of respondents (49%) expressed preference for future face-to-face care and 29% reported they would choose to use telehealth over face-to-face consultation for a similar appointment again. Many commented that they would be influenced by the type of consultation required and expressed a desire to have a choice. Approximately 80% of both groups reported they had achieved the desired outcome from their telehealth consultation. Consumers using video were more likely to experience technical issues. Telehealth met the needs of most consumers, and responses were similar for telephone and video consultations.

Cardiac telerehabilitation in a middle-income country: analysis of adherence, effectiveness and cost through a randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

The benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) are already well established; however, such intervention has been underused, mainly in low- and middle-income countries.

AIM

To compare adherence, effectiveness, and cost of a home CR with the traditional CR (TCR) in a middle-income country (MIC).

DESIGN

Single-blind randomized control trial.

SETTING

A university hospital.

POPULATION

Individuals with coronary disease that were eligible were invited to participate. A randomized sample of 51 individuals was selected, where two participants were not included by not meeting inclusion criteria.

METHODS

The home-CR group participated in health education activities, carried out two supervised exercise sessions, and was instructed to carry out 58 sessions at home. Weekly telephone calls were made. The TCR group held 24 supervised exercise sessions and were instructed to carry out 36 sessions at home.

RESULTS

49 individuals (42 male, 56.37±10.35years) participated in the study, 23 in the home-CR group and 26 in the TCR group. After the intervention, adherence in the home-CR and TCR groups was 94.18% and 79.08%, respectively, with no significant difference (P=0.191). Both protocols were effective for the other variables, with no differences. The cost per patient for the service was lower in the home-CR (US$ 59.31) than in the TCR group (US$ 135.05).

CONCLUSIONS

CR performed at home in an MIC demonstrated similar adherence and effectiveness compared to the TCR program, but with a lower cost for the service. The results corroborate the possibility of using home CR programs, even in MICs, after exercise risk stratification and under remote supervision.

CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT

Home-CR can contribute to overcome participants' barriers with compatible cost. Home-CR is effective in improving functional capacity and risk factors control. Perform risk stratification and remote supervision are essential to offer Home-CR.

Efficacy, efficiency and safety of a cardiac telerehabilitation programme using wearable sensors in patients with coronary heart disease: the TELEWEAR-CR study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a beneficial tool for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases with, however, low participation rates. Telerehabilitation, intergrading mobile technologies and wireless sensors may advance the cardiac patients' adherence. This study will investigate the efficacy, efficiency, safety and cost-effectiveness of a telerehabilitation programme based on objective exercise telemonitoring and evaluation of cardiorespiratory fitness.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A supervised, parallel-group, single-blind randomised controlled trial will be conducted. A total of 124 patients with coronary disease will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio into two groups: intervention telerehabilitation group (TELE-CR) (n=62) and control centre-based cardiac rehabilitation group (CB-CR) (n=62). Participants will receive a 12-week exercise-based rehabilitation programme, remotely monitored for the TELE-CR group and standard supervised for the CB-CR group. All participants will perform aerobic training at 70% of their maximal heart rate, as obtained from cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) for 20 min plus 20 min for strengthening and balance training, three times per week. The primary outcomes will be the assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness, expressed as peak oxygen uptake assessed by the CPET test and the 6 min walk test. Secondary outcomes will be the physical activity, the safety of the exercise intervention (number of adverse events that may occur during the exercise), the quality of life, the training adherence, the anxiety and depression levels, the nicotine dependence and cost-effectiveness. Assessments will be held at baseline, end of intervention (12 weeks) and follow-up (36 weeks).

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study protocol has been reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Thessaly (1108/1-12-2021) and by the Ethics Committee of the General University Hospital of Larissa (3780/31-01-2022). The results of this study will be disseminated through manuscript publications and conference presentations.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT05019157.

Physical therapists' perceptions of and satisfaction with delivering telerehabilitation sessions to patients with knee osteoarthritis during the Covid-19 pandemic: Preliminary study

OBJECTIVE

This preliminary study was conducted to explore physical therapists' (PT) perceptions of and satisfaction with delivering telerehabilitation sessions to patients with knee osteoarthritis during the Covid-19 pandemic.

STUDY DESIGN

An exploratory preliminary study using an internet-based survey followed by focus group sessions.

METHODS

A programme of sessions was administered by 12 PTs from the Physical Therapy Department at Prince Sultan Military Medical City. An internet-based survey containing 17 statements was completed by the PTs.

RESULTS

With regard to telephone-delivered care, four statements related to patients' privacy, programme convenience, safe patients time and money achieved consensus agreement (≥75% agreed or strongly agreed), there was majority agreement (≥50% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed) with seven of the statements regarding the effectiveness, affordability and safety of the programme, but there was no consensus with regard to the remaining five statements. In addition, most of the participants (84.6%) believed that a telephone consultation should cost 25% or 50% less than a face-to-face session.

CONCLUSION

Despite the lack of physical contact with patients, the PTs agreed that telerehabilitation would offer patients an easy method of being prescribed a therapeutic programme, save time and money, and maintain patient privacy. Further, the PTs reported barriers and suggested adaptations for this method of service delivery.

Community Health Programs Delivered Through Information and Communications Technology in High-Income Countries: Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has required widespread and rapid adoption of information and communications technology (ICT) platforms by health professionals. Transitioning health programs from face-to-face to remote delivery using ICT platforms has introduced new challenges.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this review is to scope for ICT-delivered health programs implemented within the community health setting in high-income countries and rapidly disseminate findings to health professionals.

METHODS

The Joanna Briggs Institute's scoping review methodology guided the review of the literature.

RESULTS

The search retrieved 7110 unique citations. Each title and abstract was screened by at least two reviewers, resulting in 399 citations for full-text review. Of these 399 citations, 72 (18%) were included. An additional 27 citations were identified through reviewing the reference lists of the included studies, resulting in 99 citations. Citations examined 83 ICT-delivered programs from 19 high-income countries. Variations in program design, ICT platforms, research design, and outcomes were evident.

CONCLUSIONS

Included programs and research were heterogeneous, addressing prevalent chronic diseases. Evidence was retrieved for the effectiveness of nurse and allied health ICT-delivered programs. Findings indicated that outcomes for participants receiving ICT-delivered programs, when compared with participants receiving in-person programs, were either equivalent or better. Gaps included a paucity of co-designed programs, qualitative research around group programs, programs for patients and carers, and evaluation of cost-effectiveness. During COVID-19 and beyond, health professionals in the community health setting are encouraged to build on existing knowledge and address evidence gaps by developing and evaluating innovative ICT-delivered programs in collaboration with consumers and carers.

Comparison of the effectiveness of home visits and telephone follow-up on the self-efficacy of patients having un-dergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) and the burden of their family caregivers: A randomized con-trolled trial

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to compare home visits and telephone follow-up effectiveness on patients' self-efficacy undergoing Coro-nary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery -CABG- and caregivers' burden.

METHODS

In this randomized clinical trial, 114 patients undergoing CABG were assigned to the three groups of home visits, telephone follow-up, and control based on the stratified block randomization. The self-management program of the home visit group included four face-to-face 60-minute training sessions once a week, and for the telephone follow-up group, four 30-minute telephone counseling sessions twice each week for a month. The control group received routine care. Data were collected using the cardiac rehabilitation self-efficacy questionnaire and the caregiver burden scale before and after the interven-tion.

RESULTS

Before the study, there were no statistically significant differences between the three groups in terms of the means of self-efficacy and caregiver burden scores. However, there was a statistically significant difference between the home visit and control groups (p<0.001) and between the telephone follow-up and control groups (p<0.001) after the intervention, with in-creased self-efficacy and reduced caregiver burden reported. In contrast, there was no significant difference between the home visit and telephone follow-up groups regarding self-efficacy and caregiver burden scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Both methods of self-management education have similar effectiveness in increasing self-efficacy and reducing the care-giver burden after discharge for patients who have undergone CABG.

Comparison of the effectiveness of home visits and telephone follow-up on the self-efficacy of patients having un-dergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) and the burden of their family caregivers: A randomized con-trolled trial

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to compare home visits and telephone follow-up effectiveness on patients' self-efficacy undergoing Coro-nary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery -CABG- and caregivers' burden.

METHODS

In this randomized clinical trial, 114 patients undergoing CABG were assigned to the three groups of home visits, telephone follow-up, and control based on the stratified block randomization. The self-management program of the home visit group included four face-to-face 60-minute training sessions once a week, and for the telephone follow-up group, four 30-minute telephone counseling sessions twice each week for a month. The control group received routine care. Data were collected using the cardiac rehabilitation self-efficacy questionnaire and the caregiver burden scale before and after the interven-tion.

RESULTS

Before the study, there were no statistically significant differences between the three groups in terms of the means of self-efficacy and caregiver burden scores. However, there was a statistically significant difference between the home visit and control groups (p<0.001) and between the telephone follow-up and control groups (p<0.001) after the intervention, with in-creased self-efficacy and reduced caregiver burden reported. In contrast, there was no significant difference between the home visit and telephone follow-up groups regarding self-efficacy and caregiver burden scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Both methods of self-management education have similar effectiveness in increasing self-efficacy and reducing the care-giver burden after discharge for patients who have undergone CABG.

Telerehabilitation's Safety, Feasibility, and Exercise Uptake in Cancer Survivors: Process Evaluation

BACKGROUND

Access to exercise for cancer survivors is poor despite global recognition of its benefits. Telerehabilitation may overcome barriers to exercise for cancer survivors but is not routinely offered.

OBJECTIVE

Following the rapid implementation of an exercise-based telerehabilitation program in response to COVID-19, a process evaluation was conducted to understand the impact on patients, staff, and the health service with the aim of informing future program development.

METHODS

A mixed methods evaluation was completed for a telerehabilitation program for cancer survivors admitted between March and December 2020. Interviews were conducted with patients and staff involved in implementation. Routinely collected hospital data (adverse events, referrals, admissions, wait time, attendance, physical activity, and quality of life) were also assessed. Patients received an 8-week telerehabilitation intervention including one-on-one health coaching via telehealth, online group exercise and education, information portal, and home exercise prescription. Quantitative data were reported descriptively, and qualitative interview data were coded and mapped to the Proctor model for implementation research.

RESULTS

The telerehabilitation program received 175 new referrals over 8 months. Of those eligible, 123 of 150 (82%) commenced the study. There were no major adverse events. Adherence to health coaching was high (674/843, 80% of scheduled sessions), but participation in online group exercise classes was low (n=36, 29%). Patients improved their self-reported physical activity levels by a median of 110 minutes per week (IQR 90-401) by program completion. Patients were satisfied with telerehabilitation, but clinicians reported a mixed experience of pride in rapid care delivery contrasting with loss of personal connections. The average health service cost per patient was Aus $1104 (US $790).

CONCLUSIONS

Telerehabilitation is safe, feasible, and improved outcomes for cancer survivors. Learnings from this study may inform the ongoing implementation of cancer telerehabilitation.

Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation for coronary heart disease

BACKGROUND

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common cause of death globally. However, with falling CHD mortality rates, an increasing number of people living with CHD may need support to manage their symptoms and prognosis. Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) aims to improve the health and outcomes of people with CHD. This is an update of a Cochrane Review previously published in 2016.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of exercise-based CR (exercise training alone or in combination with psychosocial or educational interventions) compared with 'no exercise' control, on mortality, morbidity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in people with CHD.

SEARCH METHODS

We updated searches from the previous Cochrane Review, by searching CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and two other databases in September 2020. We also searched two clinical trials registers in June 2021.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of exercise-based interventions with at least six months' follow-up, compared with 'no exercise' control. The study population comprised adult men and women who have had a myocardial infarction (MI), coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), or have angina pectoris, or coronary artery disease.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We screened all identified references, extracted data and assessed risk of bias according to Cochrane methods. We stratified meta-analysis by duration of follow-up: short-term (6 to 12 months); medium-term (> 12 to 36 months); and long-term ( > 3 years), and used meta-regression to explore potential treatment effect modifiers. We used GRADE for primary outcomes at 6 to 12 months (the most common follow-up time point).  MAIN RESULTS: This review included 85 trials which randomised 23,430 people with CHD. This latest update identified 22 new trials (7795 participants). The population included predominantly post-MI and post-revascularisation patients, with a mean age ranging from 47 to 77 years. In the last decade, the median percentage of women with CHD has increased from 11% to 17%, but females still account for a similarly small percentage of participants recruited overall ( < 15%). Twenty-one of the included trials were performed in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Overall trial reporting was poor, although there was evidence of an improvement in quality over the last decade. The median longest follow-up time was 12 months (range 6 months to 19 years). At short-term follow-up (6 to 12 months), exercise-based CR likely results in a slight reduction in all-cause mortality (risk ratio (RR) 0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.73 to 1.04; 25 trials; moderate certainty evidence), a large reduction in MI (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.93; 22 trials; number needed to treat for an additional beneficial outcome (NNTB) 75, 95% CI 47 to 298; high certainty evidence), and a large reduction in all-cause hospitalisation (RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.77; 14 trials;  NNTB 12, 95% CI 9 to 21; moderate certainty evidence). Exercise-based CR likely results in little to no difference in risk of cardiovascular mortality (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.14; 15 trials; moderate certainty evidence), CABG (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.27; 20 trials; high certainty evidence), and PCI (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.19; 13 trials; moderate certainty evidence) up to 12 months' follow-up. We are uncertain about the effects of exercise-based CR on cardiovascular hospitalisation, with a wide confidence interval including considerable benefit as well as harm (RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.41 to 1.59; low certainty evidence). There was evidence of substantial heterogeneity across trials for cardiovascular hospitalisations (I2 = 53%), and of small study bias for all-cause hospitalisation, but not for all other outcomes. At medium-term follow-up, although there may be little to no difference in all-cause mortality (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.02; 15 trials), MI (RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.27; 12 trials), PCI (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.35; 6 trials), CABG (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.23; 9 trials), and all-cause hospitalisation (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.03; 9 trials), a large reduction in cardiovascular mortality was found (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.93; 5 trials). Evidence is uncertain for difference in risk of cardiovascular hospitalisation (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.12; 3 trials). At long-term follow-up, although there may be little to no difference in all-cause mortality (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.75 to 1.10), exercise-based CR may result in a large reduction in cardiovascular mortality (RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.78; 8 trials) and MI (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.90; 10 trials). Evidence is uncertain for CABG (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.34 to 1.27; 4 trials), and PCI (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.48 to 1.20; 3 trials). Meta-regression showed benefits in outcomes were independent of CHD case mix, type of CR, exercise dose, follow-up length, publication year, CR setting, study location, sample size or risk of bias. There was evidence that exercise-based CR may slightly increase HRQoL across several subscales (SF-36 mental component, physical functioning, physical performance, general health, vitality, social functioning and mental health scores) up to 12 months' follow-up; however, these may not be clinically important differences. The eight trial-based economic evaluation studies showed exercise-based CR to be a potentially cost-effective use of resources in terms of gain in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

This updated Cochrane Review supports the conclusions of the previous version, that exercise-based CR provides important benefits to people with CHD, including reduced risk of MI, a likely small reduction in all-cause mortality, and a large reduction in all-cause hospitalisation, along with associated healthcare costs, and improved HRQoL up to 12 months' follow-up. Over longer-term follow-up, benefits may include reductions in cardiovascular mortality and MI. In the last decade, trials were more likely to include females, and be undertaken in LMICs, increasing the generalisability of findings. Well-designed, adequately-reported RCTs of CR in people with CHD more representative of usual clinical practice are still needed. Trials should explicitly report clinical outcomes, including mortality and hospital admissions, and include validated HRQoL outcome measures, especially over longer-term follow-up, and assess costs and cost-effectiveness.

Why telehealth does not always save money for the health system

Purpose

This study aims to determine elements of telehealth that have the potential to increase costs for the health system in the short to medium term.

Design/methodology/approach

A search of PubMed, EMBASE and Scopus databases was performed in May 2018 using broad terms for telehealth and economics. Articles were included if they identified and explained reasons for an increase in cost for telehealth services. Studies were categorised by economic analysis type for data extraction and descriptive synthesis.

Findings

Fourteen studies met inclusion criteria and were included in the review. These studies identified that increased health system costs were due to implementation costs (e.g. for equipment, software or staff training), increased use of other healthcare services (e.g. pharmaceutical services) and ongoing service costs (including staff salaries) resulting from telehealth being additive to traditional service (e.g. increased frequency of contact).

Originality/value

Telehealth is often assumed to be a cost-effective method of delivering healthcare, even to the point where direct cost savings are expected by decision makers as a result of implementation. However, this investigation suggests it does not routinely reduce costs for the health system and can actually increase costs at both implementation and ongoing service delivery stages. Health services considering implementing telehealth should be motivated by benefits other than cost reduction such as improved accessibility, greater patient centricity and societal cost–benefit.

Cardiac Rehabilitation in German Speaking Countries of Europe-Evidence-Based Guidelines from Germany, Austria and Switzerland LLKardReha-DACH-Part 2

Background: Scientific guidelines have been developed to update and harmonize exercise based cardiac rehabilitation (ebCR) in German speaking countries. Key recommendations for ebCR indications have recently been published in part 1 of this journal. The present part 2 updates the evidence with respect to contents and delivery of ebCR in clinical practice, focusing on exercise training (ET), psychological interventions (PI), patient education (PE). In addition, special patients’ groups and new developments, such as telemedical (Tele) or home-based ebCR, are discussed as well. Methods: Generation of evidence and search of literature have been described in part 1. Results: Well documented evidence confirms the prognostic significance of ET in patients with coronary artery disease. Positive clinical effects of ET are described in patients with congestive heart failure, heart valve surgery or intervention, adults with congenital heart disease, and peripheral arterial disease. Specific recommendations for risk stratification and adequate exercise prescription for continuous-, interval-, and strength training are given in detail. PI when added to ebCR did not show significant positive effects in general. There was a positive trend towards reduction in depressive symptoms for “distress management” and “lifestyle changes”. PE is able to increase patients’ knowledge and motivation, as well as behavior changes, regarding physical activity, dietary habits, and smoking cessation. The evidence for distinct ebCR programs in special patients’ groups is less clear. Studies on Tele-CR predominantly included low-risk patients. Hence, it is questionable, whether clinical results derived from studies in conventional ebCR may be transferred to Tele-CR. Conclusions: ET is the cornerstone of ebCR. Additional PI should be included, adjusted to the needs of the individual patient. PE is able to promote patients self-management, empowerment, and motivation. Diversity-sensitive structures should be established to interact with the needs of special patient groups and gender issues. Tele-CR should be further investigated as a valuable tool to implement ebCR more widely and effectively.

Telerehabilitation for Geriatrics

Advancements in medical science and technology, along with global increases in life expectancy, are changing the way health care services are delivered to the aging society. Telerehabilitation refers to rehabilitation services involving evaluation and treatment. It is an attractive option for older adults who may have multiple comorbidities. Limited access to in-person services and the concern about potential exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 during this pandemic accelerated the implementation of telerehabilitation. This article review the scope, need, and implementation of telehealth and telerehabilitation in the aging population from the perspective of clinicians, patients, and caregivers.

Cost-effectiveness of cardiac telerehabilitation in coronary artery disease and heart failure patients: systematic review of randomized controlled trials

This systematic review aims to assess the cost-effectiveness of cardiac telerehabilitation in comparison with centre-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Evidence of cost-effectiveness is an important step towards implementation and reimbursement of telerehabilitation services. Electronic databases were searched for economic evaluations of telerehabilitation programmes. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English were eligible for inclusion. Study quality and risk of bias were assessed using the Consensus Health Economic Criteria (CHEC) list. A total of eight economic evaluations met the review inclusion criteria. The total sample size consisted of 751 patients ranging from a minimum of 46 patients to a maximum of 162 patients per study. Maximal follow-up was 5 years. A total of seven of the eight included studies demonstrated that telerehabilitation could lead to similar or lower long-term costs and are thus as cost-effective as traditional centre-based CR. There is significant heterogeneity between all included telerehabilitation interventions in duration, used technology, cost included and follow-up. Based on these small short duration trials, telerehabilitation may be as cost-effective as traditional centre-based approaches. However, more assessments of the value for money of telerehabilitation in larger and longer RCTs are needed both in high- as low-income countries.

Determining if Telehealth Can Reduce Health System Costs: Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Telehealth represents an opportunity for Australia to harness the power of technology to redesign the way health care is delivered. The potential benefits of telehealth include increased accessibility to care, productivity gains for health providers and patients through reduced travel, potential for cost savings, and an opportunity to develop culturally appropriate services that are more sensitive to the needs of special populations. The uptake of telehealth has been hindered at times by clinician reluctance and policies that preclude metropolitan populations from accessing telehealth services.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate if telehealth reduces health system costs compared with traditional service models and to identify the scenarios in which cost savings can be realized.

METHODS

A scoping review was undertaken to meet the study aims. Initially, literature searches were conducted using broad terms for telehealth and economics to identify economic evaluation literature in telehealth. The investigators then conducted an expert focus group to identify domains where telehealth could reduce health system costs, followed by targeted literature searches for corresponding evidence.

RESULTS

The cost analyses reviewed provided evidence that telehealth reduced costs when health system-funded travel was prevented and when telehealth mitigated the need for expensive procedural or specialist follow-up by providing competent care in a more efficient way. The expert focus group identified 4 areas of potential savings from telehealth: productivity gains, reductions in secondary care, alternate funding models, and telementoring. Telehealth demonstrated great potential for productivity gains arising from health system redesign; however, under the Australian activity-based funding, it is unlikely that these gains will result in cost savings. Secondary care use mitigation is an area of promise for telehealth; however, many studies have not demonstrated overall cost savings due to the cost of administering and monitoring telehealth systems. Alternate funding models from telehealth systems have the potential to save the health system money in situations where the consumers pay out of pocket to receive services. Telementoring has had minimal economic evaluation; however, in the long term it is likely to result in inadvertent cost savings through the upskilling of generalist and allied health clinicians.

CONCLUSIONS

Health services considering implementing telehealth should be motivated by benefits other than cost reduction. The available evidence has indicated that although telehealth provides overwhelmingly positive patient benefits and increases productivity for many services, current evidence suggests that it does not routinely reduce the cost of care delivery for the health system.

Cost-utility analysis of home-based cardiac rehabilitation as compared to usual post-discharge care: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

INTRODUCTION

Determining cost-utility differences between home-based cardiac rehabilitation (HBCR) on the one hand, and usual post-discharge care (UC) on the other, can improve resource-allocation in healthcare settings.

AREAS COVERED

In June 2019, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane library were searched for randomized controlled HBCR trials. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) of cost and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) between HBCRs and UCs were calculated using random effect models. Heterogeneity was assessed by inconsistency index (I2) and publication bias by funnel plot and Egger's regression test. Thirteen articles, representing 2,992 participants, were deemed representative for final analysis. In the meta-analysis, a significant difference with respect to QALYs favored HBCR, while no significant cost difference was observed between HBCR and UC. However, subgroup-analysis of trials with different follow-up durations revealed somewhat different results, and HBCR was found to be significantly better with regard to both cost and QALYs for patients with heart failure. Cost-utility analysis categorizing interventions as 'dominant', 'effective', 'doubtful', and 'dominated', found HBCRs dominant.

EXPERT OPINION

Although HBCR tended to be superior compared to UC in this review, larger and more robust trials addressing specific patients groups are needed for definitive results.

Economic evaluation protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial to compare Smartphone Cardiac Rehabilitation, Assisted self-Management (SCRAM) versus usual care cardiac rehabilitation among people with coronary heart disease

INTRODUCTION

It is important to ascertain the cost-effectiveness of alternative services to traditional cardiac rehabilitation while the economic credentials of the Smartphone Cardiac Rehabilitation, Assisted self-Management (SCRAM) programme among people with coronary heart disease (CHD) are unknown. This economic protocol outlines the methods for undertaking a trial-based economic evaluation of SCRAM in the real-world setting in Australia.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The within-trial economic evaluation will be undertaken alongside a randomised controlled trial (RCT) designed to determine the effectiveness of SCRAM in comparison with the usual care cardiac rehabilitation (UC) alone in people with CHD. Pathway analysis will be performed to identify all the costs related to the delivery of SCRAM and UC. Both a healthcare system and a limited societal perspective will be adopted to gauge all costs associated with health resource utilisation and productivity loss. Healthcare resource use over the 6-month participation period will be extracted from administrative databases (ie, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and Medical Benefits Schedule). Productivity loss will be measured by absenteeism from work (valued by human capital approach). The primary outcomes for the economic evaluation are maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max, mL/kg/min, primary RCT outcome) and quality-adjusted life years estimated from health-related quality of life as assessed by the Assessment of Quality of Life-8D instrument. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio will be calculated using the differences in costs and benefits (ie, primary and secondary outcomes) between the two randomised groups from both perspectives with no discounting. All costs will be valued in Australian dollars for year 2020.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study protocol has been approved under Australia's National Mutual Acceptance agreement by the Melbourne Health Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC/18/MH/119). It is anticipated that SCRAM is a cost-effective cardiac telerehabilitation programme for people with CHD from both a healthcare and a limited societal perspective in Australia. The evaluation will provide evidence to underpin national scale-up of the programme to a wider population. The results of the economic analysis will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12618001458224).

The use of wearable devices in chronic disease management to enhance adherence and improve telehealth outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Wearable device (WD) interventions are rapidly growing in chronic disease management; nevertheless, the effectiveness of these technologies to monitor telehealth outcomes has not been adequately discussed. This study aims to evaluate the effects of WDs in adherence and other health outcomes for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes mellitus (DM), and cardiac disease (CD).

METHODS

CINAHL, PsycINFO, CENTRAL, and EMBASE were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs from 1937 to February 2020. Studies comparing interventions with the use of WD were assessed for quality in RCTs and a meta-analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Eleven studies were included in this review. All of the interventions involved WD use with educational support such as goal setting, virtual social support, e-health program, real-time feedback, written information, maintain diary, and text messaging. The meta-analysis showed no difference in adherence (p = .38). The DM group showed effects of more than a 2% reduction in weight when WDs were implemented for three months (risk ratio = 2.20; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.38 to 3.50; p = .0009), as well as blood glucose (mean difference (MD) = -32.39; 95% CI = -48.07 to -16.72; p < .0001), haemoglobin A_1c (MD = -0.69; 95% CI = -1.28 to -0.10; p = .02), and physical exercise time in the CD group (MD = 9.53; 95% CI = 0.59 to 18.47; p = .04).

DISCUSSION

WD with educational support may be particularly useful for people with DM and CD to enhance support beyond usual care. The results of this review showed insufficient evidence to support the use of WD for COPD to enhance telehealth outcomes for disease management.

Promoting Physical Activity With Self-Tracking and Mobile-Based Coaching for Cardiac Surgery Patients During the Discharge-Rehabilitation Gap: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Home-based cardiac rehabilitations (CRs) with digital technologies have been researched and implemented to replace, augment, and complement traditional center-based CR in recent years with considerable success. One problem that technology-enhanced home-based CR can potentially address is the gap between cardiac interventions and formal CR programs. In the Netherlands and some other countries (eg, Australia), patients after cardiac interventions stay at home for 3-4 weeks without much support from their physicians, and often engage in very little physical activity (PA). A home-based exercise program enabled by digital technologies may help patients to better prepare for the later center-based CR programs, potentially increasing the uptake rate of those programs.

Objective

In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), we will evaluate the effectiveness of a home-based walking exercise program enhanced by self-tracking and mobile-based coaching (treatment condition), comparing it with a version of the same program without these technologies (control condition). The added value of the digital technologies is justified if patients in the treatment group walk more steps on average (primary outcome) and show better physical fitness in a bicycle ergometer test and higher self-efficacy toward PA (secondary outcomes).

Methods

Based on a power analysis, we will recruit 100 cardiac patients and assign them evenly to the 2 parallel groups. Eligible patients are those who are scheduled in the postanesthesia care unit, know the Dutch language, have basic literacy of using smartphones, and are without medical conditions that may increase risks associated with PA. In a face-to-face meeting with a nurse practitioner, all patients are prescribed a 3-week exercise program at home (2 walking exercises per day with increasing duration), based on national and international guidelines and tailored to their physical conditions after cardiac intervention. Their physical activities (daily steps) will be measured by the Axivity AX3 accelerometer worn at hip position. Patients in the treatment group will also be supported by a Neo Health One self-tracking device and a mobile platform called Heart Angel, through which they are monitored and coached by their nurses. After the study, all patients will perform a bicycle ergometer test and return the devices within 1 week. In addition, 5 questionnaires will be sent to the patients by emails to assess their self-efficacy toward PA and other psychological states for exploratory analyses (at discharge, at the end of each monitoring week, and 1 week after the study). To minimize bias, the randomization procedure will be performed after introducing the exercise program, so the nurse practitioners are blind to the experimental conditions until that point.

Results

The study protocol has been approved by the Medical Research Ethics Committees United on February 26, 2018 (NL 62142.100.17/R17.51). By the end of 2018, we completed a small pilot study with 8 patients and the results based on interviews and app usage data suggest that a larger clinical trial with the targeted population is feasible. We expect to complete the RCT by the end of 2021, and statistical analyses will follow.

Conclusions

Results of the RCT will help us to test the hypothesized benefits of self-tracking and mobile-based coaching for cardiac patients in home-based exercise programs during the discharge–rehabilitation gap. If the results are positive, cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed based on the insights of the study to inform the translation of the technology-enhanced program to clinical practice. We also note limitations of the trial in the discussion.

Trial Registration

Registered at Netherlands Trial Register NL8040; https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/8040

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/16737

Cost-effectiveness of exercise therapy in patients with coronary heart disease, chronic heart failure and associated risk factors: A systematic review of economic evaluations of randomized clinical trials

Aims

Prescribed exercise is effective in adults with coronary heart disease (CHD), chronic heart failure (CHF), intermittent claudication, body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m2, hypertension or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but the evidence for its cost-effectiveness is limited, shows large variations and is partly contradictory. Using World Health Organization and American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology value for money thresholds, we report the cost-effectiveness of exercise therapy, exercise training and exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation.

Methods

Electronic databases were searched for incremental cost-effectiveness and incremental cost–utility ratios and/or the probability of cost-effectiveness of exercise prescribed as therapy in economic evaluations conducted alongside randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 1 July 2008 and 28 October 2018.

Results

Of 19 incremental cost–utility ratios reported in 15 RCTs in patients with CHD, CHF, intermittent claudication or BMI ≥25 kg/m2, 63% met both value for money thresholds as ‘highly cost-effective’ or ‘high value’, with 26% ‘not cost-effective’ or of ‘low value’. The probability of intervention cost-effectiveness ranged from 23 to 100%, probably due to the different populations, interventions and comparators reported in the individual RCTs. Confirmation with the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting checklist varied widely across the included studies.

Conclusions

The findings of this review support the cost-effectiveness of exercise therapy in patients with CHD, CHF, BMI ≥25 kg/m2 or intermittent claudication, but, with concerns about reporting standards, need further confirmation. No eligible economic evaluation based on RCTs was identified in patients with hypertension or T2DM.

Conventional Rehabilitation Therapy Versus Telerehabilitation in Cardiac Patients: A Comparison of Motivation, Psychological Distress, and Quality of Life

Telerehabilitation (TR) has gained attention as a promising rehabilitation format. Our study examined how patients responded to TR and whether it provided adequate support for their lifestyle changes and self-care efforts when compared to conventional rehabilitation (CR). Cardiac patients (n = 136) were randomly assigned to a TR or CR group. The TR group was provided with relevant health care technology for a period of three months, and both groups filled in questionnaires on their motivation for lifestyle changes and self-care psychological distress, and quality of life at 0, 3, 6, and 12 months. Patients in both groups were found to be equally motivated for lifestyle changes and self-care (p < 0.05) and they experienced similar levels of psychological distress and quality of life. TR is comparable to conventional rehabilitation in motivating patients, preventing psychological distress and improving quality of life. Although we observed an initial increase in autonomous motivation in the telerehabilitation group, this positive difference in motivation does not last over time. As such, neither rehabilitation format seems able to ensure long-term motivation. Therefore, TR may serve as a viable replacement for conventional rehabilitation when considered relevant. Further research is needed to enhance long-term motivation, and maybe telerehabilitation can help to achieve this.

Interventions to promote patient utilisation of cardiac rehabilitation

BACKGROUND

International clinical practice guidelines routinely recommend that cardiac patients participate in rehabilitation programmes for comprehensive secondary prevention. However, data show that only a small proportion of these patients utilise rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVES

First, to assess interventions provided to increase patient enrolment in, adherence to, and completion of cardiac rehabilitation. Second, to assess intervention costs and associated harms, as well as interventions intended to promote equitable CR utilisation in vulnerable patient subpopulations.

SEARCH METHODS

Review authors performed a search on 10 July 2018, to identify studies published since publication of the previous systematic review. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); the National Health Service (NHS) Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) databases (Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE)), in the Cochrane Library (Wiley); MEDLINE (Ovid); Embase (Elsevier); the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) (EBSCOhost); and Conference Proceedings Citation Index - Science (CPCI-S) on Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics). We checked the reference lists of relevant systematic reviews for additional studies and also searched two clinical trial registers. We applied no language restrictions.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in adults with myocardial infarction, with angina, undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery or percutaneous coronary intervention, or with heart failure who were eligible for cardiac rehabilitation. Interventions had to aim to increase utilisation of comprehensive phase II cardiac rehabilitation. We included only studies that measured one or more of our primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes were harms and costs, and we focused on equity.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently screened the titles and abstracts of all identified references for eligibility, and we obtained full papers of potentially relevant trials. Two review authors independently considered these trials for inclusion, assessed included studies for risk of bias, and extracted trial data independently. We resolved disagreements through consultation with a third review author. We performed random-effects meta-regression for each outcome and explored prespecified study characteristics.

MAIN RESULTS

Overall, we included 26 studies with 5299 participants (29 comparisons). Participants were primarily male (64.2%). Ten (38.5%) studies included patients with heart failure. We assessed most studies as having low or unclear risk of bias. Sixteen studies (3164 participants) reported interventions to improve enrolment in cardiac rehabilitation, 11 studies (2319 participants) reported interventions to improve adherence to cardiac rehabilitation, and seven studies (1567 participants) reported interventions to increase programme completion. Researchers tested a variety of interventions to increase utilisation of cardiac rehabilitation. In many studies, this consisted of contacts made by a healthcare provider during or shortly after an acute care hospitalisation.Low-quality evidence shows an effect of interventions on increasing programme enrolment (19 comparisons; risk ratio (RR) 1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13 to 1.42). Meta-regression revealed that the intervention deliverer (nurse or allied healthcare provider; P = 0.02) and the delivery format (face-to-face; P = 0.01) were influential in increasing enrolment. Low-quality evidence shows interventions to increase adherence were effective (nine comparisons; standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.38, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.55), particularly when they were delivered remotely, such as in home-based programs (SMD 0.56, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.76). Moderate-quality evidence shows interventions to increase programme completion were also effective (eight comparisons; RR 1.13, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.25), but those applied in multi-centre studies were less effective than those given in single-centre studies, leading to questions regarding generalisability. A moderate level of statistical heterogeneity across intervention studies reflects heterogeneity in intervention approaches. There was no evidence of small-study bias for enrolment (insufficient studies to test for this in the other outcomes).With regard to secondary outcomes, no studies reported on harms associated with the interventions. Only two studies reported costs. In terms of equity, trialists tested interventions designed to improve utilisation among women and older patients. Evidence is insufficient for quantitative assessment of whether women-tailored programmes were associated with increased utilisation, and studies that assess motivating women are needed. For older participants, again while quantitative assessment could not be undertaken, peer navigation may improve enrolment.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Interventions may increase cardiac rehabilitation enrolment, adherence and completion; however the quality of evidence was low to moderate due to heterogeneity of the interventions used, among other factors. Effects on enrolment were larger in studies targeting healthcare providers, training nurses, or allied healthcare providers to intervene face-to-face; effects on adherence were larger in studies that tested remote interventions. More research is needed, particularly to discover the best ways to increase programme completion.

Cost-Utility Analysis of Home-Based Telerehabilitation Compared With Centre-Based Rehabilitation in Patients With Heart Failure

BACKGROUND

Whilst home-based telerehabilitation has been shown non-inferior to traditional centre-based rehabilitation in patients with chronic heart failure, its economic sustainability remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the cost-utility of a home-based telerehabilitation program.

METHODS

A comparative, trial-based, incremental cost-utility analysis was conducted from a health care provider's perspective. We collected data as part of a multi-centre, two-arm, non-inferiority, randomised controlled trial with 6 months follow-up. There were 53 participants randomised to either a telerehabilitation program (consisting of 12 weeks of group-based exercise and education delivered into the home via online videoconferencing) or a traditional centre-based program. Health care costs (including personnel, equipment and hospital readmissions due to heart failure) were extracted from health system records, and calculated in Australian dollars using 2013 as the base year. Health utilities were measured using the EuroQol five-dimensional (EQ-5D) questionnaire. Estimates were presented as means and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) based on bootstrapping. Costs and utility differences were plotted on a cost-effectiveness plane.

RESULTS

Total health care costs per participant were significantly lower in the telerehabilitation group (-$1,590, 95% CI: -2,822, -359) during the 6 months. No significant differences in quality-adjusted life years (0, 95% CI: -0.06, 0.05) were seen between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Heart failure telerehabilitation appears to be less costly and as effective for the health care provider as traditional centre-based rehabilitation.

Cost-effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation: a systematic review

Patients may be offered cardiac rehabilitation (CR), a supervised programme often including exercises, education and psychological care, following a cardiac event, with the aim of reducing morbidity and mortality. Cost-constrained healthcare systems require information about the best use of budget and resources to maximise patient benefit. We aimed to systematically review and critically appraise economic studies of CR and its components. In January 2016, validated electronic searches of the National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED), Health Technology Assessment, PsycINFO, MEDLINE and Embase databases were run to identify full economic evaluations published since 2001. Two levels of screening were used and explicit inclusion criteria were applied. Prespecified data extraction and critical appraisal were performed using the NHS EED handbook and Drummond checklist. The majority of studies concluded that CR was cost-effective versus no CR (incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) ranged from $1065 to $71 755 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY)). Evidence for specific interventions within CR was varied; psychological intervention ranged from dominant (cost saving and more effective) to $226 128 per QALY, telehealth ranged from dominant to $588 734 per QALY and while exercise was cost-effective across all relevant studies, results were subject to uncertainty. Key drivers of cost-effectiveness were risk of subsequent events and hospitalisation, hospitalisation and intervention costs, and utilities. This systematic review of studies evaluates the cost-effectiveness of CR in the modern era, providing a fresh evidence base for policy-makers. Evidence suggests that CR is cost-effective, especially with exercise as a component. However, research is needed to determine the most cost-effective design of CR.

Cost analysis of telerehabilitation after arthroscopic subacromial decompression

Background Subacromial impingement syndrome poses a substantial socioeconomic burden, leading to significant consumption of healthcare. Health systems are calling for greater evidence of economic impacts of particular healthcare services. Telerehabilitation programmes have the potential to reduce costs and improve patient access as an alternative to traditional care. Cost analysis has been traditionally included in study protocols and results, although the reliability and research methodology have frequently been under debate. The aim of this study was to compare costs related to a telerehabilitation programme versus conventional physiotherapy following subacromial decompression surgery (ASD). Methods The study was embedded in a randomised controlled trial. The economic analysis was based on the perspective of the health sector and the human capital method. Only the costs associated with the provision of physiotherapy services were taken into account. Costs were measured during the intervention period between baseline and 12 weeks for both groups. Student's t-test was used to compare independent variables between the two groups, with a 95% confidence interval for the estimates and real costs. Results The estimated total cost analysis shows a preliminary cost differential in favour of the telerehabilitation group, meaning that for each participant's total intervention, telerehabilitation saves 29.8% of the costs. Real cost analysis, only for received treatments, shows a cost differential in favour of telerehabilitation, meaning that for each participant's total intervention, telerehabilitation saves 22.15% of the costs incurred for conventional rehabilitation. Conclusions Our study provides direct and meaningful information about telerehabilitation opportunities and can be an essential component in further cost evaluations for different strategies after surgical procedures. This study demonstrates that there was a trend towards lower healthcare costs after ASD. Managers now have the responsibility to decide whether to implement telerehabilitation based on clinical and economic data.

Cardiac rehabilitation costs

BACKGROUND

Despite the clinical benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) and its cost-effectiveness, it is not widely received. Arguably, capacity could be greatly increased if lower-cost models were implemented. The aims of this review were to describe: the costs associated with CR delivery, approaches to reduce these costs, and associated implications.

METHODS

Upon finalizing the PICO statement, information scientists were enlisted to develop the search strategy of MEDLINE, Embase, CDSR, Google Scholar and Scopus. Citations identified were considered for inclusion by the first author. Extracted cost data were summarized in tabular format and qualitatively synthesized.

RESULTS

There is wide variability in the cost of CR delivery around the world, and patients pay out-of-pocket for some or all of services in 55% of countries. Supervised CR costs in high-income countries ranged from PPP$294 (Purchasing Power Parity; 2016 United States Dollars) in the United Kingdom to PPP$12,409 in Italy, and in middle-income countries ranged from PPP$146 in Venezuela to PPP$1095 in Brazil. Costs relate to facilities, personnel, and session dose. Delivering CR using information and communication technology (mean cost PPP$753/patient/program), lowering the dose and using lower-cost personnel and equipment are important strategies to consider in containing costs, however few explicitly low-cost models are available in the literature.

CONCLUSION

More research is needed regarding the costs to deliver CR in community settings, the cost-effectiveness of CR in most countries, and the economic impact of return-to-work with CR participation. A low-cost model of CR should be standardized and tested for efficacy across multiple healthcare systems.

Clinical and cost-effectiveness of home-based cardiac rehabilitation compared to conventional, centre-based cardiac rehabilitation: Results of the FIT@Home study

Aim Although cardiac rehabilitation improves physical fitness after a cardiac event, many eligible patients do not participate in cardiac rehabilitation and the beneficial effects of cardiac rehabilitation are often not maintained over time. Home-based training with telemonitoring guidance could improve participation rates and enhance long-term effectiveness. Methods and results We randomised 90 low-to-moderate cardiac risk patients entering cardiac rehabilitation to three months of either home-based training with telemonitoring guidance or centre-based training. Although training adherence was similar between groups, satisfaction was higher in the home-based group ( p = 0.02). Physical fitness improved at discharge ( p < 0.01) and at one-year follow-up ( p < 0.01) in both groups, without differences between groups (home-based p = 0.31 and centre-based p = 0.87). Physical activity levels did not change during the one-year study period (centre-based p = 0.38, home-based p = 0.80). Healthcare costs were statistically non-significantly lower in the home-based group (€437 per patient, 95% confidence interval -562 to 1436, p = 0.39). From a societal perspective, a statistically non-significant difference of €3160 per patient in favour of the home-based group was found (95% confidence interval -460 to 6780, p = 0.09) and the probability that it was more cost-effective varied between 97% and 75% (willingness-to-pay of €0 and €100,000 per quality-adjusted life-years, respectively). Conclusion We found no differences between home-based training with telemonitoring guidance and centre-based training on physical fitness, physical activity level or health-related quality of life. However, home-based training was associated with a higher patient satisfaction and appears to be more cost-effective than centre-based training. We conclude that home-based training with telemonitoring guidance can be used as an alternative to centre-based training for low-to-moderate cardiac risk patients entering cardiac rehabilitation.

Effects of cardiac telerehabilitation in patients with coronary artery disease using a personalised patient-centred web application: protocol for the SmartCare-CAD randomised controlled trial

Background

Cardiac rehabilitation has beneficial effects on morbidity and mortality in patients with coronary artery disease, but is vastly underutilised and short-term improvements are often not sustained. Telerehabilitation has the potential to overcome these barriers, but its superiority has not been convincingly demonstrated yet. This may be due to insufficient focus on behavioural change and development of patients’ self-management skills. Moreover, potentially beneficial communication methods, such as internet and video consultation, are rarely used. We hypothesise that, when compared to centre-based cardiac rehabilitation, cardiac telerehabilitation using evidence-based behavioural change strategies, modern communication methods and on-demand coaching will result in improved self-management skills and sustainable behavioural change, which translates to higher physical activity levels in a cost-effective way.

Methods

This randomised controlled trial compares cardiac telerehabilitation with centre-based cardiac rehabilitation in patients with coronary artery disease. We randomise 300 patients entering cardiac rehabilitation to centre-based cardiac rehabilitation (control group) or cardiac telerehabilitation (intervention group). The core component of the intervention is a patient-centred web application, which enables patients to adjust rehabilitation goals, inspect training and physical activity data, share data with other caregivers and to use video consultation. After six supervised training sessions, the intervention group continues exercise training at home, wearing an accelerometer and heart rate monitor. In addition, physical activity levels are assessed by the accelerometer for four days per week. Patients upload training and physical activity data weekly and receive feedback through video consultation once a week. After completion of the rehabilitation programme, on-demand coaching is performed when training adherence or physical activity levels decline with 50% or more. The primary outcome measure is physical activity level, assessed at baseline, three months and twelve months, and is calculated from accelerometer and heart rate data. Secondary outcome measures include physical fitness, quality of life, anxiety and depression, patient empowerment, patient satisfaction and cost-effectiveness.

Discussion

This study is one of the first studies evaluating effects and costs of a cardiac telerehabilitation intervention comprising a combination of modern technology and evidence-based behavioural change strategies including relapse prevention. We hypothesise that this intervention has superior effects on exercise behaviour without exceeding the costs of a traditional centre-based intervention.

Trial registration

Netherlands Trial Register NTR5156. Registered 22 April 2015.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12872-017-0477-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Validity of the Model for Assessment of Telemedicine: A Delphi study

Introduction

In 2009, the Model for Assessment of Telemedicine (MAST) was developed within the MethoTelemed project as a framework for description of the effectiveness of telemedicine applications. The goal was for the assessments to be used as basis for decision-making in healthcare systems. Since then, MAST has been used in many European telemedicine studies and is now the most widely used model for assessment of telemedicine. The aim of this study was to assess the face validity of MAST.

Methods

A modified Delphi process was carried out and included a workshop with a sample of healthcare decision makers. A total of 56 decision makers and experts in telemedicine were invited and 19 persons participated in the two Delphi rounds. Thirteen hospitals or regional health authorities from 12 European countries and six research organisations were represented in the final sample. The participants were asked to assess the importance of the different domains and topics in MAST on a 0–3 Likert scale.

Results

All respondents completed the two rounds. Based on the answers, the face validity of all MAST domains was confirmed, since all domains were considered moderately or highly important by more than 80% of the respondents.

Discussion

Even though the study confirmed the validity of MAST, a number of supplements and improvements regarding study design and data collection were suggested. When considering the results it should be noticed that the sample size was small and larger studies are needed to confirm the results.