Cardiac Rehab Completion Rates Lag as Patients Cite Cost and Distance

Fewer than half of eligible heart attack patients across several central Pennsylvania counties complete their recommended course of cardiac rehabilitation, according to data presented at a regional cardiology conference, with patients citing copay costs and travel distance to program sites as the most common reasons for dropping out early or never enrolling.

Cardiac rehab programs, which combine supervised exercise with education on medication adherence and lifestyle changes, are strongly associated with reduced rates of repeat cardiac events, making the low completion rate a significant concern for cardiologists who refer patients to the programs after a cardiac event.

"We know this program works," one cardiologist said. "The gap isn't about whether rehab is effective. It's about whether patients can actually get there consistently three times a week for weeks at a time."

Some hospitals have begun piloting home-based cardiac rehab options using remote monitoring devices, an approach that removes the travel barrier but requires patients to have reliable home internet and a level of self-directed motivation not all patients have. Insurance coverage for home-based cardiac rehab remains inconsistent across payers, complicating broader adoption even where hospitals are willing to offer it.