The Danish Cardiac Rehabilitation Database.
The Danish Cardiac Rehabilitation Database (DHRD) aims to improve the quality of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) to the benefit of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).


METHODS
Hospitalized patients with CHD with stenosis on coronary angiography treated with percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary artery bypass grafting, or medication alone. Reporting is mandatory for all hospitals in Denmark delivering CR. The database was initially implemented in 2013 and was fully running from August 14, 2015, thus comprising data at a patient level from the latter date onward.


METHODS
Patient-level data are registered by clinicians at the time of entry to CR directly into an online system with simultaneous linkage to other central patient registers. Follow-up data are entered after 6 months. The main variables collected are related to key outcome and performance indicators of CR: referral and adherence, lifestyle, patient-related outcome measures, risk factor control, and medication. Program-level online data are collected every third year.
Based on administrative data, approximately 14,000 patients with CHD are hospitalized at 35 hospitals annually, with 75% receiving one or more outpatient rehabilitation services by 2015. The database has not yet been running for a full year, which explains the use of approximations.


CONCLUSIONS
The DHRD is an online, national quality improvement database on CR, aimed at patients with CHD. Mandatory registration of data at both patient level as well as program level is done on the database. DHRD aims to systematically monitor the quality of CR over time, in order to improve the quality of CR throughout Denmark to benefit patients.
Danish Centre for Rehabilitation and Palliative Care, Odense University Hospital and University of Southern Denmark, Odense.
Ann-Dorthe
AD
Zwisler
Danish Centre for Rehabilitation and Palliative Care, Odense University Hospital and University of Southern Denmark, Odense.
Henriette Knold
HK
Rossau
Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital; Registry Support Centre (West) - Clinical Quality Improvement & Health Informatics, Aarhus.
Anne
A
Nakano
Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre.
Sussie
S
Foghmar
Department of Cardiology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg.
Regina
R
Eichhorst
Department of Cardiology, Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen.
Eva
E
Prescott
Registry Support Centre (East) - Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Centre for Prevention and Health, the Capital Region of Denmark, Glostrup.
Charlotte
C
Cerqueira
Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre.
Anne Merete Boas
AM
Soja
Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital Gentofte, Hellerup; The Danish Heart Foundation, Copenhagen; The National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark.
Gunnar H
GH
Gislason
Department of Cardiology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg.
Mogens Lytken
ML
Larsen
Department of Cardiology, Holbaek Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen.
Ulla Overgaard
UO
Andersen
Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre.
Ida
I
Gustafsson
Department of Cardiology, Hospital of Southwest Jutland, Esbjerg.
Kristian K
KK
Thomsen
Department of Cardiology, Gentofte Hospital, Gentofte.
Lene
L
Boye Hansen
Department of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy, Herlev Hospital, Herlev.
Signe
S
Hammer
Department of Nutrition, Regional Hospital West Jutland, Holstebro.
Lone
L
Viggers
Department of General Medicine, School of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus.
Bo
B
Christensen
Department of Health Care and Prevention, Municipality of Frederikshavn, Frederikshavn.
Birgitte
B
Kvist
The Regional Research Unit, Region Zealand, Roskilde.
Cecilie
C
Lindström Egholm
Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Unit, Regional Hospital Herning, Herning, Denmark.
Ole
O
May
cardiovascular prevention; clinical database; clinical quality registry; coronary heart disease; quality improvement; secondary prevention