Abstract
Background Rehabilitation has been shown to improve exercise capacity, quality of life and reduce hospital admissions in pulmonary and cardiac disease. These diseases may be complicated by obesity and comorbidities. Patients with complex chronic diseases may not be offered the opportunity to attend rehabilitation programs and therefore miss out.
Aim To identify issues and implement changes to improve access to rehabilitation for people with chronic respiratory, cardiac and metabolism and obesity (M&O) conditions.
Methods Staff in pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) and cardiac rehabilitation (CR) at four hospitals in Sydney Local Health District were surveyed to identify existing programs and barriers to patient access. Based on the responses, changes were implemented.
Results Survey results showed: PR at four hospitals; CR at two hospitals; no M&O rehabilitation programs. Barriers to patient access: long waiting lists; lack of programs for M&O patients; family doctors unaware of ability to refer and lack of parking. Changes implemented were: long-term attendees discharged to community exercise programs to reduce waiting lists; new CR commenced; new M&O hydrotherapy program commenced; referrals from family doctors and immediately following hospital discharge encouraged; disabled parking increased. Compared to the previous year, there was a 50% increase in number of CR programs, 56% increase in attendance at CR and 100% increase in M&O hydrotherapy program. No change to pulmonary rehabilitation attendance.
Conclusion The chronic disease rehabilitation redesign project identified important access issues. Changes were implemented that have improved access to rehabilitation programs for people with chronic diseases.
- Copyright ©the authors 2016
