The MDS also collects process data in terms of the number and identity of the common components of cardiac rehabilitation the patient took part in and any onward referrals to and integration with long term care.

The National Database is a programme that has been developed to (a) support the submission of data to the NACR and (b) support CR programmes in the clinical management of their patients.

The MDS is contained within the national database along with a number of other fields and functions that aim to support the management and delivery of patient care. For example;

• Recording contact history: - you can create contact history records for patients, recording exactly what contact you have had with them, be it via telephone, letter, a home visit, or a ward visit.
• Creating a staff directory:- you can create a directory for members of staff that either work directly in CR or are associated with the patients’ pathway (e.g. referring cardiologist or GP) (Lotus version only)
• Creating and managing letters: - you can create a directory of letter templates that can be stored on the database and easily accessed when required for sending to patients and/or GPs.
• Creating and managing discharge reports: - you can create discharge reports that can be stored on the database and easily accessed when required for sending to GPs, Phase IV providers, smoking cessation officers etc. You are able to specify what data you wish to show in these reports.
• Summary reports: - you can look at your activity, per initiating event or gender or age, between a specified period of time (i.e. a day, week, month or year).
• Contact History Reports – show how many calls, emails etc have been made to a patient, and how much time has been spent on contact.
• Referring patients: - you can electronically refer patients to other NHS organisations, i.e. primary, secondary or tertiary care service (currently Lotus only)
• 40 user fields: - blank fields so you can collect your own data for analysis