Health services are continuing to endure many challenges maintaining cardiac rehabilitation services in the current climate. Visit the Members Centre to access resources to support practitioners, and patients who might not be able to access cardiac rehabilitation. Please consider becoming a member to access ongoing support and resources.

Australian Cardiovascular Health and Rehabilitation Association

The Australian Cardiovascular Health and Rehabilitation Association is the peak body which provides support and advocacy for multidisciplinary health professionals to deliver evidence-based best practice across the continuum of cardiovascular care. We aim to empower health professionals to achieve optimal and equitable outcomes for all affected by cardiovascular disease.

Find a service

The national cardiac rehabilitation services online map is a joint initiative between the Heart Foundation and the Australian Cardiovascular Health and Rehabilitation Association (ACRA).

National Cardiac Rehabilitation Quality Indicators

To find out what data your program should be collecting

Upcoming events

Don't miss out on our upcoming events for clinicians and researchers with an interest in cardiac rehab and secondary prevention. We offer a range of state-based, national and online events at significant discounts to members.

Dr Bruce Shirazi, Rehabilitation Specialist, Frankston and Parkdale, Victoria

Cardiac rehabilitation gets you better, faster and to a higher level than being left to manage on your own.

Dr Geoff Abbott, Rehabilitation Consultant, St John of God Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital

I feel that Cardiac Rehabilitation should be offered to a large proportion of patients following cardiac events such as surgery, infarction and heart failure as it complements the medical and nursing treatment standards.

Dr Chris Finn, Cardiologist, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Western Australia

Participation in cardiac rehabilitation serves as the first critical step for preventing future heart attacks. As such, it acts as critical gateway for establishing lifelong habits for the ongoing management of heart disease.

Dr Johanne Neill, Cardiologist, Ipswich Hospital, Queensland

Having a heart attack is of course a stressful event for all patients.  Cardiac rehabilitation is an excellent and evidence based means of supporting patients through this stressful time with education and reassurance, and helping them to gain confidence with their “new normal”. 

 

Dr Christine Burdeniuk, Cardiologist Flinders Cardiac Clinic, South Australia

I believe cardiac rehabilitation should be offered to not only patients who have had a cardiac event, but also those at high risk of a cardiac event, as prevention is even better than cure. As clinicians we need to be proactive in encouraging patients to engage in cardiac rehabilitation as the benefits are not in any doubt.

Dr Stuart Cox, Interventional Cardiologist, Sunshine Coast University Hospital

Cardiac rehabilitation is an essential component of any cardiology department. The evidence is irrefutable for the benefits a robust cardiac rehabilitation service can have for reducing hospital re-presentations and improving long-term cardiac outcomes in a safe, cost-effective way.

Latest news

New ACRA/CSANZ Guideline for Exercise and Physical Activity Prescription in Cardiac Rehabiliation

August 22, 2023

Leading experts from Australia, New Zealand and Europe in the fields of exercise, physical activity and cardiac rehabilitation have come together to create the first position paper of its kind…

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Can your CR service help? Newly endorsed ACRA research project seeking CR patient volunteers

June 18, 2023

The ACRA research and education committee has recently endorsed a research project which is currently seeking volunteers to participate. Endorsement by ACRA demonstrates that the research has undergone review by…

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Free Webinar Recording Available for Members

May 7, 2023

On Friday 28th February ACRA-Qld held a Heart Week Webinar focused on Provider and System-Level Approaches to Bridging the Cardiac Rehabilitation Service Delivery Gap in Queensland. Topics of discussion included…

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