Current and Future Strategies in Telerehabilitation for Cardiac Patients

Dear Colleagues,

The use of technology in healthcare has been increasing over the past decade. As a result, telerehabilitation is becoming a new promising format for rehabilitation. In cardiovascular disease (CVD), rehabilitation is a key factor in reducing mortality rates and improving the overall course of CVD. However, a large group of patients decline participation and therefore do not benefit from the possible advantages of rehabilitation. Barriers to participation, such as having to travel long distances, or rehabilitation being offered during working hours, may be overcome by implementing telerehabilitation in CVD, although other barriers to participation and adherence in rehabilitation, such as psychological distress or lack of motivation, may also be addressed more effectively using telerehabilitation. Although telerehabilitation is increasingly implemented in CVD, the research is fragmented and sparse.

This Special Issue welcomes studies or reviews of various telerehabilitation formats. We are particularly interested in studies (i) addressing how telerehabilitation aims to overcome participation and adherence barriers, (ii) comparing conventional rehabilitation to telerehabilitation, or (iii) focusing on how telerehabilitation may expand our understanding of what telerehabilitation could entail. As such, articles on new innovative strategies for telerehabilitation are also within the scope of this Special Issue. Articles addressing health economic issues related to cardiac telerehabilitation may also fit the scope of this issue.

This Special Issue will provide readers with up-to-date knowledge of the current state of telerehabilitation in CVD, as well as future possible formats and implementations, while providing clinicians and rehabilitation researchers the necessary information for planning, implementing, and evaluating telerehabilitation programs in cardiology.

Prof. Helle Spindler
Guest Editor

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• telerehabilitation
• cardiac rehabilitation
• psychological distress
• anxiety
• depression
• barriers to rehabilitation
• adherence
• motivation
• user-driven innovation