TeleRehab is an innovative remote cardiac rehabilitation (CTR) application and system primarily developed by the Sakakibara Heart Hospital in Japan to address the low participation rate in traditional outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programs. The system is designed to remove barriers such as long travel distances, work constraints, and the high frequency of hospital visits required for standard CR.
Key Capabilities and Features:
- Wearable Device Integration: The core functionality relies on integrating with wearable devices, such as the Apple Watch, to transmit real-time patient biological information (生体情報) to the hospital's medical team.
- Multidisciplinary Guidance: The system enables a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to rehabilitation, including:
- Nurses: Providing life guidance and monitoring based on transferred biological data.
- Dietitians: Offering nutritional guidance.
- Certified Psychologists: Providing counseling and psychosocial management.
- Occupational Support: Facilitating return-to-work support.
- Flexible Rehabilitation Models: The system supports both real-time, two-way interactive remote CR (e.g., with home ergobikes) and unsupervised remote CR via tele-nursing (using the remote biological monitor app).
- Patient Engagement: By reducing the burden of commuting and costs, TeleRehab makes cardiac rehabilitation more accessible, leading to higher quality of life scores in some studies compared to outpatient CR.
Target Users and Use Cases:
- Target Users: Cardiac patients who have completed acute care but face difficulties attending traditional outpatient CR due to distance, time constraints, or physical limitations.
- Use Cases: Providing continuous, safe, and effective cardiac rehabilitation at home; supporting secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases; and enabling multi-professional team care remotely. The system is also being explored for collaboration with fitness clubs and local governments for health management and expansion to rural areas.
Current Status: The TeleRehab system is currently utilized within a research project framework to accumulate evidence and ensure safety and efficacy before wider adoption.