Principal investigator

Dr. Rachel Dankner

Subinvestigators

Gertner Institute: The Information and Computer Unit

Sheba Medical Center: Dr. Ehud Schwammenthal, Medical Director, Cardiac Rehabilitation Clinic; Prof. Yaacov Drori.

Research

A controlled, prospective intervention study to test the impact of heightened awareness of cardiac rehabilitation among cardiac patients after bypass surgery, the level of responsiveness to treatment during rehabilitation, morbidity, quality of life and three-year mortality; to characterize the factors that encourage patients to participate in cardiac rehabilitation and those that prevent them from participating.

For the full report, from the article on the home page.

Description of the project

• Widespread activity on several levels promotes the rehabilitation of heart patients in Israel: research, development of models, specification of the problem, intervention evaluation and publication of position papers.
• Proposals for changing the eligibility for cardiac rehabilitation included in the health services covered by insurance ("health basket") were submitted to the public committee responsible for debating additions to the health basket. In 2006, patients with level 2 and level 3 heart failure were declared eligible for cardiac rehabilitation. In 2007, a request was filed for patients following therapeutic coronary catheterization to be recognized as eligible for cardiac rehabilitation.
• Changing the health maintenance organizations' payment policy for rehabilitation to allow patients to receive rehabilitation at existing institutes.
• A multi-centered study to define the barriers that prevent heart patients from participating in cardiac rehabilitation after bypass surgery and testing the effect awareness about the importance of rehabilitation has on patients' response to rehabilitation. Research Partners: Prof. Ehud Schwammenthal, Prof. Uri Goldbourt, Prof. Yaacov Drori.
• To develop the Return to Active Living program that provides the theoretical part of the rehabilitation, in a concentrated format even before the patient can begin a program of physical activity. A model of the program is currently being implemented at Sheba Medical Center.
• To develop a continuing educational program in cardiac rehabilitation to train cardiologists and medical staff to work in cardiac rehabilitation institutes Project team: Dr. Rachel Marom-Klibansky, Chair of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Association, Prof. Yaacov Drori, Dr. Mickey Sheinovitz.
• To participate in preparing a circular from the Director General of the Health Ministry on the implementation of a licensing system to guarantee a uniform standard for rehabilitation institutes; ensure that they provide rehabilitation of reasonable quality; clearly define the content of the rehabilitation program and the eligible population as part of the basket of health services; and ensuring that it is included in the Health Insurance Law in a manner consistent with reality and patient needs.

Financial support

Return to Active Living - management of Sheba Medical Center

Intervention study to increase awareness of cardiac rehabilitation - Israel National Institute for Health Policy and Health Services Research (NIHP)

Presentations

Dankner RS, Shalev C.Cardiac Rehabilitation, the Struggle to Provide Prevention to the Majority of Patients in the Country. December 2001; Annual Conference: Health and Politics in the 21st Century, Jerusalem Israel.

Dankner R, Ben Zvi S, Kaufman Y, Heruti R, Motro M, Schwammental E

"Back to Active Life": A Pilot Comprehensive Cardiac Rehabilitation Program - The Sheba Medical Center December 2002; Annual meeting of The National Institute for Health Policy, Ramat Gan, Israel.

Dankner R, Geulayov G, Gofer D, El Ami A, Zlotnic AY, Moskowitz Y, Sneer E, Sheps D, Goldbourt U, Drori Y. Rate of cardiac rehabilitation and benefits associated with participation in Israeli CABG patients: a 1-year follow-up study.

The 54th Annual Meeting of The Israel Heart Society together with The Israel Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery, April 26-27, 2007, David-Intercontinental Hotel, Tel-Aviv, Israel

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