Cardiac rehabilitation service provision in Ireland: the Irish Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation survey.
BACKGROUND
The first national survey of cardiac rehabilitation services was conducted.


OBJECTIVE
To establish levels of service provision, service formats, and geographic distribution of cardiac rehabilitation services in 1998.


METHODS
Public hospitals in the Republic (n=41) and Northern Ireland (n=12) which provide services to cardiac patients were surveyed. RESULTSl Response rate was 81%. Twelve centres (29%) in the Republic and nine (75%) in Northern Ireland provided cardiac rehabilitation. There was wide geographic variability in service provision. Most centres were unable to identify the proportion of eligible patient participation. Most programmes were established for less than five years. All programmes had multidisciplinary teams, multicomponent courses and co-ordinators. Additionally, 44% of hospitals without programmes had plans regarding programme establishment.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings highlight the underdeveloped but rapidly expanding nature of cardiac rehabilitation services in Ireland. They provide a baseline from which to address rehabilitation needs and to judge the success of the National Cardiovascular Health Strategy in addressing these needs.
Department of Cardiology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
H M
HM
McGee
D
D
Hevey
J H
JH
Horgan
D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000600:supply & distribution; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000600:supply & distribution*