Telemedicine Is Broadening Its Role in Cardiac Care

As telehealth makes inroads into a wider range of medical specialties, cardiovascular care is among the fields offering more virtual visits.

This branch of telemedicine, known as telecardiology, seeks to achieve real-time, remote diagnosis and treatment of heart disease — including congestive heart failure, cardiac arrest and arrhythmia.

One of those ways is raising compliance rates for cardiac rehab, a medically supervised program designed to improve cardiovascular health after a heart attack or other event requiring care. But only 25 percent of patients follow the prescribed regimen, according to the Great Lakes Cardiac Rehabilitation Consortium, an international group that was formed to address the disparity.

Making the effort is crucial: Cardiac rehab is “the only intervention that changes outcomes,” says Robert Berry, clinical coordinator of cardiac rehabilitation at Henry Ford Health System, which is part of the consortium.