vCRP (Virtual Cardiac Rehabilitation Program) Submits IPO Prospectus, Pioneering Digital Cardiovascular Care

▌What is vCRP?

vCRP, short for Virtual Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, is generally translated as the Virtual Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. It simulates traditional outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programs through an internet-based interface, employing a set of medically supervised plans and methods to help patients with heart disease maintain or improve their health.

The multidisciplinary team involved in virtual cardiac rehabilitation programs typically includes family physicians, cardiologists, surgeons, nurses, physical therapists, occupational and rehabilitation therapists, dietitians, psychologists, and psychiatrists. These professionals communicate with heart disease patients online via digital platforms, replacing traditional face-to-face interactions.

Implementation of a virtual cardiac rehabilitation program requires three components: a website, a heart rate monitor, and a blood pressure monitor. Patients use the heart rate monitor to track their physical activity and upload the collected data to the web server, enabling healthcare providers to access patients’ real-time health metrics.

This web-based program includesAn online form; one-on-one consultation sessions conducted by cardiovascular nurses, dietitians, and exercise specialists; data entry (exercise heart rate, blood pressure, blood glucose levels, etc.); peer support group discussions; expert consultation sessions; health education via an online resource library; submission of progress reports, etc.

Furthermore, patients receive one-on-one consultations from cardiovascular nurses, dietitians, and exercise specialists via an online chat module every 3 to 4 weeks. This program is typically implemented for a duration of four months following patient discharge, with remote monitoring conducted by the patient’s attending physician.

Similar in function to traditional outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programs—which include medical assessment, lifestyle education, supervised exercise, and psychological support—virtual cardiac rehabilitation programs can help patients with heart disease address the following issues:

1) Accelerate recovery after cardiac surgery or myocardial infarction.

2) Prevent the worsening of heart disease, or prevent hospitalization due to the deterioration of heart disease, and even potential death.

3) Be well-versed in the risk factors that predispose to or exacerbate cardiac diseases, particularly coronary heart disease, such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, overweight or obesity, diabetes mellitus, smoking, physical inactivity, and depression or other mental health issues (e.g., stress).

4) Adopt a healthy lifestyle, such as maintaining a balanced diet, engaging in moderate physical activity, managing stress, quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption, lowering blood pressure, and controlling blood glucose levels.

5) Improve patients' overall health status and quality of life.

Although traditional face-to-face cardiac rehabilitation programs offer numerous advantages, statistics show that only 10% to 25% of the target population participates in them. One of the primary reasons for this low participation rate is geographical barriers, as traditional cardiac rehabilitation services are typically available only at hospitals in major cities. This limits access for patients in rural areas, remote regions, smaller cities, and suburbs. The emergence of virtual cardiac rehabilitation programs can address this challenge, as online platforms are not constrained by geographical limitations.

Moreover, virtual cardiac rehabilitation programs offer numerous advantages over outpatient rehabilitation programs, as follows:
1) Enhance employee time efficiency, with each employee spending an average of 8 hours less on this program compared to traditional outpatient services;
2) Patients with heart disease are more conscious and motivated to manage their health conditions, placing greater emphasis on improving their lifestyle;
3) Patients with heart disease can participate in monitoring the entire rehabilitation process;
4) Increased patient confidence in treatment through engagement with medical experts;

However, the biggest obstacle that may be encountered when implementing vCRP is that cardiac patients who are not computer-literate may have difficulty participating effectively. Addressing this barrier will be a key focus for hospitals.

Text | Xu Huiting
Editor: Mo Renying