Cardiac rehabilitation: The quest for quality

There has been a decade of rapid growth in cardiac rehabilitation services in the UK during the 1990s. The provision of these services has been shown to be diverse with a range of content and variable funding for staffing. Following the publication of national guidelines and audit standards, there is little evidence of their widespread implementation. Whilst attempts are being made to collect common audit data, and to evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness of such services, data collection has focused more on the quantity rather than the quality of such services. In the light of current quality initiatives within the National Health Service, this article explores some factors relevant to both quality and evidence-based health care, and more specifically to cardiac rehabilitation services in the UK.