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Referral to and discharge from cardiac rehabilitation: key informant views on continuity of care
Author(s) -
Grace Sherry L.,
Krepostman Suzan,
Brooks Dina,
Jaglal Susan,
Abramson Beth L.,
Scholey Pat,
Suskin Neville,
Arthur Heather,
Stewart Donna E.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of evaluation in clinical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.737
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1365-2753
pISSN - 1356-1294
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2753.2006.00528.x
Subject(s) - referral , rehabilitation , continuity of care , nursing , medicine , grounded theory , hospital discharge , primary care , key (lock) , health care , family medicine , qualitative research , psychology , medical education , physical therapy , intensive care medicine , political science , sociology , ecology , social science , law , biology
Abstract Objectives To assess the system‐level barriers and facilitators of continuity of care from acute care to cardiac rehabilitation (CR), and from CR discharge to follow‐up with primary health care providers. Method Semi‐structured individual interviews with 24 key informants including CR staff, research scientists, policy makers, cardiologists and other doctors from a regional to international level were conducted regarding the processes of referral to and discharge from cardiac rehabilitation. Key informant interviews were audio taped, transcribed, and imported into QSR N6 software for Grounded analysis. Results Themes that emerged related to communication, referral and discharge processes, health care provider practices, inter‐ and intra‐institutional relationships, and alternative models of delivery to improve continuity. Conclusions Ramifications for enhancing referral of patients to beneficial CR services and follow‐up by primary care providers to ensure maintenance of functional and health‐related gains are discussed.