Remote Monitoring Programs for Cardiac Conditions in Canada: An Environmental Scan

Abstract

This Environmental Scan aimed to provide an overview of the current remote monitoring landscape for chronic cardiac conditions in Canada and was informed through a limited literature search and a survey completed by key stakeholders across Canada. Based on the results from the limited literature search and survey responses, remote monitoring programs are currently offered in British Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador for patients with chronic cardiac conditions such as heart failure and hypertension, and for patients eligible for cardiac rehabilitation. These remote monitoring programs share common components and are intended to allow for greater patient autonomy and engagement, improved quality of life, and fewer hospital visits and admissions. There are many operational considerations that inform the implementation of remote monitoring programs in Canada. These operational considerations can act as barriers or facilitators to establishing and developing new remote monitoring programs. The most common identified barriers to program implementation are resourcing and funding limitations, whereas the most common facilitators to program implementation are patient engagement and a recent uptake in remote care in the wake of COVID-19. There are also many operational considerations that impact the maintenance of established remote monitoring programs in Canada. Similar to the barriers that affect program implementation, resourcing and funding limitations are the most commonly identified barriers to the maintenance of established remote monitoring programs. Positive patient experiences and the application of a teams-based approach to care are common facilitators to program maintenance. There is a gap in the jurisdictional representation from some provinces and territories in remote monitoring programs for patients with chronic cardiac conditions in Canada. Evidence-based guidelines for Canadian remote monitoring programs for chronic cardiac conditions or cardiac rehabilitation in Canada were sought but did not yield any results.