NHS use of digital cardiac rehab tools endorsed
Seven digital health technologies (DHTs) that can be used to support people recovering from cardiovascular diseases have been recommended for use by the NHS in England and Wales.
In final draft guidance (PDF), reimbursement authority NICE has backed the use of the DHTs for an initial three-year period, during which evidence on their long-term effectiveness will be collected. The recommendation is conditional on the DHT developers putting systems in place to collect the evidence.
The seven programmes variously provide exercise regimens, education about cardiovascular disease and its treatment, dietary advice, medication management, and psychosocial support.
Despite cardiovascular disease affecting millions of people across the UK – and evidence showing that cardiac rehab can reduce the risk of further heart problems and hospital readmissions – the use of traditional cardiac rehabilitation programmes remains low.
According to NICE, in 2023, only 41% of eligible people with acute coronary syndrome, which includes heart attack and angina, and 13% of those with heart failure participated in cardiac rehabilitation programmes in England. Uptake is particularly low among some parts of the population, including women, younger people, ethnic minorities, those in deprived areas, and those who struggle to attend face-to-face sessions.
"These digital platforms offer real potential to transform how cardiac rehabilitation is offered to people to meet their individual circumstances. We know that traditional programmes aren't reaching everyone who could benefit," commented Dr Anastasia Chalkidou, HealthTech programme director at NICE.
"The early data is promising and suggests, with safeguards in place, more people should now be given the opportunity to use these new technologies."
The recommended DHTs are:
- Activate Your Heart, developed by the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust;
- Health & Care Innovations' D REACH-HF;
- Digital Heart Manual from NHS Lothian;
- DDM health's Gro Health HeartBuddy;
- Ki Performance Lifestyle's KiActiv;
- my mhealth's myHeart; and
- Pumping Marvellous Cardiac Rehab Platform from the Pumping Marvellous Foundation charity.
According to the guidance, these apps should only be used after an assessment by a trained healthcare professional, as they may not be suitable for all patients, and an evidence generation plan must be in place.
Five other DHTs have been relegated to research use only, unless further evidence of their benefits is forthcoming; namely:
- Avegen's Beat Better;
- Datos Health's Datos Health;
- Get Ready from Medtronic;
- Luscii healthtech's Luscii vitals; and
- RPlusHealth's R Plus Health.
Following the three-year evidence generation period, NICE will review all available data to determine whether the technologies should be routinely adopted across the NHS.
Access to DHTs is one way that the NHS can reach the digital transformation objectives laid out in the 10-Year Plan, although, a recent survey raised questions about the preparedness of frontline staff in being able to implement the shift.
