MONROVIA, Calif. — After a quadruple bypass surgery, Kaiser Permanente patient William Kelly is well on his way to recovery and making an effort to step into a healthier life.

With the help of his health care team, he said the eight-week Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation program, which provides him with a smartwatch, telehealth services and educational content, is helping him make long-lasting lifestyle changes without the need to visit the hospital.

Patients trying to manage a heart condition, who had a heart attack or are managing life after a heart surgery, typically benefit from cardiac rehabilitation programs that provide exercise, stress management, diabetes prevention, educational programs and more.

Recent research published in the Journal of The American Heart Association found that individuals who followed a home-based cardiac rehabilitation program were 36% less likely to die from heart complications within four years compared to those who did not take part in a program.

But cardiac rehabilitation programs are widely underutilized, according to the American Heart Association.