Cardiac Rehabilitation Patient Referral From an Inpatient Setting

Identifying Attributes

Care Settings
Rehabilitation Care
Country
United States of America
Publishing Organisation
American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA): Clinical Performance and Quality Measures for Cardiac Rehabilitation
Type of Quality Indicator
Process
IOM Quality Dimension
Timeliness
Domain
Accessibility

Defining Attributes

Definition

Percentage of patients, age ≥18 years, hospitalised with a qualifying event/diagnosis for cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in the previous 12 months including: a myocardial infarction (MI), chronic stable angina (CSA), or who, during hospitalisation, have undergone coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), cardiac valve repair/replacement, or heart transplantation, are to be referred to an outpatient CR program.

Numerator

Number of patients with a qualifying event/diagnosis who have been referred to an outpatient CR program prior to hospital discharge. Referral is defined as: 1. Documented communication* between the healthcare provider and the patient to recommend an outpatient CR program AND 2A. Official referral order† is sent to outpatient CR program OR 2B. Documentation of patient refusal to justify why patient information was not sent to the CR program‡ Note: Performance is met if steps 1 AND either 2A (official referral order transmitted) OR 2B (patient refusal documented in the patient's medical record) are completed and documented.*All communications must maintain appropriate confidentiality as outlined by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).†All patient information required for enrolment should be transmitted to the CR program. Necessary patient information may be found in the hospital discharge summary. ‡Patients who refuse a CR referral should not have their data transmitted to the receiving CR program against their will.

Denominator

Number of patients with a qualifying event/diagnosis in the previous 12 months including: MI, PCI, CABG, CSA, valve repair/replacement, or heart transplantation, who are discharged from the hospital during the reporting period

Exclusions

Denominator Exclusions: Patients age <18 years Patients who leave during hospitalisation against medical advice Patients who die during hospitalisation Patients who are transferred to another hospital for inpatient carePatients who are already participating in a CR program before hospitalisation. Denominator Exceptions: Documentation of a patient-oriented reason that precludes referral to CR (e.g., no traditional CR program available to the patient, within 60 min [travel time] from the patient's home, or patient does not have access to an alternative model of CR delivery that meets all criteria for a CR program) Documentation of a medical reason that precludes referral to CR (e.g., patient deemed by a medical provider to have a medically unstable, life-threatening condition or has other cognitive or physical impairments that preclude CR participation) Documentation of a healthcare system reason that precludes referral to CR (e.g., patient is discharged to a nursing care or long-term care facility, or patient lacks medical coverage for CR)

Use of Risk Adjustment
No
Risk Adjustments
Stratifications

Collection and Reporting Attributes

Type of Data Collection
Electronic/paper chart records
Data Collection Methods

Data Sources: Medical record or other database (e.g., administrative, clinical, registry).

Frequency of Data Collection
Frequency of Data Collection in Days
Reporting Methods

Measurement Period: Encounter

Reporting Frequency
Reporting Frequency in Days
Indicator Has Recommended Targets
No

Source and Reference Attributes

Evidence Source

Thomas RJ, Balady G, Banka G, Beckie TM, Chiu J, Gokak S, et al. 2018 ACC/AHA Clinical Performance and Quality Measures for Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Performance Measures. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. 2018;11(4):e000037.

Technical Specifications
Link to Measurement Tools
Quality Indicator Confirmed to be Part of a Program Used to Monitor Quality and Safety of Care Among Older People at a Population-Level between 2012-2022
No
Assessed by the Australian Consortium for Aged Care Collaborators as Generally Containing Good Properties (Importance and Scientific Acceptability)
No
Australian Consortium for Aged Care Endorsed
No
Identified by PHARMA-Care Project
No
Upload Date
02 December 2025