Key Takeaways from MiCR’s Third Telehealth Cardiac Rehab Forum

Inside a Virtual Cardiac Rehab Session: Highlights from MiCR’s Third Virtual CR Forum

On September 16, 2026, the Michigan Cardiac Rehabilitation Network (MiCR) hosted its third Virtual Cardiac Rehab Forum. The forum focused on what a one-on-one virtual cardiac rehab session looks like in practice.

Diane Perry, MS, ACSM-CCEP, CHWC, a Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist at Michigan Medicine, led a live role-play demonstration, with a MiCR team member playing a patient in Michigan Medicine’s hybrid program, then answered questions from programs across the state.

Cardiac rehab participation for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease across the collaborative has risen from 24% in 2020 to 35% in 2024, but a substantial gap remains. Virtual care is a key focus of MiCR’s current strategic plan, and current telehealth coverage rules now run through December 2027. That gives programs an extended window to launch or expand hybrid models and reach patients who struggle to attend in person.

Most sites polled at our last forum are still considering virtual cardiac rehab or just starting conversations with staff and leadership. This session was designed to show them what it looks like in practice.

The demonstration: a one-on-one virtual session

In a simulated one-on-one Zoom session, Perry worked with a MiCR team member playing a 52-year-old patient who had completed her first month of rehab after an NSTEMI and stent. After reviewing the patient’s vitals and symptoms, Perry built the session around her goal of returning to spin classes, coaching her through interval training on her home bike and ending with a plan for an on-site strength training visit and a SMART goal for the coming week.

Lessons from the Q&A

After the demonstration, Perry and her Michigan Medicine colleagues answered questions from attendees. Several practical lessons came out of the discussion.

• Build rapport in person first. Michigan Medicine asks patients to complete two or three on-site sessions before moving to virtual visits. Staff use a case-management model, so each patient works with the same clinician from start to finish. Perry noted that patients often open up more in one-on-one virtual sessions once that trust is in place.
• Staffing is still evolving. Three staff currently deliver individual virtual sessions, rotating hours through the week, and more are being trained. The team is exploring group sessions, possibly with two exercise physiologists per class and short breakout rooms for individual check-ins. Some staff are moving to 10-hour days to offer early-morning and after-work visits.
• Make sure virtual is the right fit. Virtual rehab still has to deliver the outcomes of cardiac rehab. Patients need to understand that it requires real exercise and suitable equipment at home. For some patients, such as those with limited mobility, on-site sessions may be the better choice.
• No continuous ECG monitoring. Michigan Medicine does not use remote telemetry. On-site sessions confirm patients are stable before they exercise at home. MiCR co-director Jessica Golbus added that most virtual cardiac rehab studies from the past five years have been conducted without telemetry.
• Plan for prep and documentation time. Perry blocks 90 minutes for each 60-minute virtual visit to cover charting and preparation. Her team is building Epic smart phrases to speed up notes. Individual treatment plans and outcome metrics stay the same as on-site rehab.

Watch the full forum

Forum #3 showed that virtual cardiac rehab programs that combine on-site visits with virtual sessions can build rapport, keep patients safe, and offer flexibility to those who need it. As Perry noted, Michigan Medicine is “still figuring it out” like everyone else, and that is why sharing experiences across the state matters.

The full recording of Forum #3 is available on MiCR’s YouTube channel, along with our earlier forums: April’s panel with two Michigan programs offering virtual cardiac rehab, and June’s group virtual cardiac rehab demonstration from Henry Ford Hospital.

Thank you to Diane Perry and the Michigan Medicine cardiac rehab team for sharing their program, and to everyone who joined and asked questions. To learn more about MiCR and find resources for your program, visit michigancr.org.