Our goal is to transform post-discharge secondary prevention and reduce the burden of heart disease by decreasing deaths, hospitalisations and costs via a program of work that integrates data, technology, partnerships and capacity building.

What is SOLVE-CHD?

SOLVE-CHD NHMRC is a 5 year program of work that builds on previous and current efforts of the Australian Cardiac Rehabilitation Measurement Taskforce, where there has been national consensus and development of quality indicators for cardiac rehabilitation. This work will see delivery of interlinked service reform and research across 4 key activities: transformative data & quality, new research, capacity building and the network.

ANNUAL REPORT 2022
SOLVE-CHD OVERVIEW

Our Objectives

  • Develop comprehensive, continuous and national data, with the aim to implement an Australian-first nationwide, electronic data collection and reporting platform for cardiac rehabilitation and secondary prevention programs 

  • Support research that optimises access to and quality of secondary prevention

  • Identify and cultivate multidisciplinary research capacity, community engagement and future health services researcher leaders

Background

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke, is the leading cause of death and disease burden globally. CVD resulted in >1.1 million hospitalisations in 2015-16 and incurs the highest level of health care sector expenditure in Australia. Over 65,000 Australians experience an acute coronary event (heart attack or unstable angina) each year and importantly, many are preventable.

With an aging population, more people surviving initial events, and an epidemic of lifestyle-related health problems, the health burden is escalating globally. Most patients now survive an initial myocardial infarction (MI), have a short stay in-hospital and are discharged with minimal physical morbidity. Thus, improving post-discharge care through secondary prevention strategies (healthy living, adherence to medicines) is a current national and international priority.

History of Cardiac Rehabilitation

 Modern day “rehabilitation” was born at a time when bed rest and physical inactivity were recommended for people with heart disease. Most heart disease secondary prevention programs today continue to follow the 50 year old model despite fundamental changes in society and medical care.