Prioritization, Development, and Validation of American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Performance Measures.

Background: In 2014, the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Quality of Care Committee was asked to develop performance measures (PMs) to assess program quality and aid in program improvement and certification.

Methods: A 3-step process was used to prioritize, develop, and then validate new PMs for both cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs. First, we surveyed national leadership, medical directors, and program directors to identify and rank various American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation potential PM topics.

Measuring psychosocial risk factors in cardiac rehabilitation: validation of the psychosocial risk factor survey.

Purpose: The psychosocial risk factors of depression, anxiety, anger/ hostility, and social isolation have a significant effect on cardiac disease comparable with other highly publicized risk factors. This study assesses the validity of the Psychosocial Risk Factor Survey (PRFS) to conveniently assess all of these primary risk factors in cardiac patients at once.

Methods: Two samples totaling 364 cardiac patients were administered the PRFS and various widely accepted independent-comparison tests measuring depression, anxiety, anger/hostility, social isolation, and emotional guardedness.