TIMELY: Providing In-Time and Intelligent Support for Cardiovascular Rehabilitation with 'Patients and Practitioners in the Loop' Interaction

Abstract

eHealth has the potential to enhance patient engagement and communication between patients and healthcare providers during Cardiovascular Rehabilitation (CR) programs. Using technological tools such as smartphone apps, physical activity trackers and medical-grade devices like heart rate and ECG monitors has been demonstrated to be effective in improving adherence and exercise capacity and in some cases achieving outcomes that are equivalent to or better than those of center-based CR programs. Multidisciplinary teams can provide patients with the support they need to make healthy lifestyle changes and address behavioral and risk factors that may contribute to cardiovascular issues. By implementing healthy behaviors, patients can also reduce the risk of future cardiovascular events and improve overall mortality rates. To further support CR efforts, we propose an conversational agent that utilizes user context and AI-based cardiovascular disease risk prediction, grounded in behavioral intervention theories, in order to collaborate with AI and monitoring technology to optimize outcomes for better CR.