ABC has endorsed the reintroduction of federal legislation that would expand access to cardiac rehabilitation by allowing physician assistants, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists to supervise cardiac, intensive cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs.

Cardiac rehabilitation is an essential component of a patient’s recovery from a heart attack, heart surgery or for the management of heart failure.  Expanding access to this care would not only improve quality of patient care but reduce costly hospital readmissions.  Supervision requirements for cardiac rehabilitation are overly burdensome relative to other outpatient services, negatively impacting access to cardiac rehabilitation for our patients.

If enacted, this legislation will allow the cardiovascular community’s well-qualified advance practice providers to provide the day-to-day supervision of cardiac rehabilitation, allowing cardiologists to meet the needs of cardiac patients.

View ABC’s endorsement letter here.