Improving Veteran Referral to Cardiac Rehabilitation

This study seeks to evaluate the Veterans Cardiac Rehabilitation Referral Program (VCR2P) using a type 2 hybrid effectiveness-implementation design. The trial involves a single-arm, pre-post trial at three VA medical centers, enrolling a total of 816 Veterans who are eligible for cardiac rehabilitation (CR). The primary objective is to assess the program's impact on two key outcomes: CR referral rates and CR initiation rates. Secondary implementation outcomes will include measures such as reach, adoption, fidelity, maintenance, and cost, providing a comprehensive understanding of how the intervention performs in real-world VA settings. This evaluation will be guided by implementation science frameworks to ensure the program is scalable and sustainable. A summative evaluation will be conducted to inform broader implementation across the Veterans Health Administration. The goal is to determine not only whether VCR2P improves referral and participation in CR but also how it can be feasibly integrated into routine care to close quality gaps and enhance cardiovascular outcomes for Veterans.

Inclusion criteria

• All Veterans hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction, percutaneous coronary intervention, cardiac valve surgery, coronary artery bypass grafting, or systolic heart failure at the three participating VA medical centers (Nashville, Dallas, and Gainesville).

Exclusion criteria

• No exclusion criteria during the intervention period

• however, post-hoc analysis will exclude Veterans with documented reasons preventing CR attendance including death during hospitalization or within 30 days of discharge, discharge to inpatient rehabilitation or skilled nursing facilities, significant cognitive impairment, high-risk ventricular arrhythmias, or explicit refusal of CR services.