Three years of developing, testing and bringing RESIL-Card into practice have highlighted some important lessons about preparedness.
Over the course of the RESIL-Card project, we have explored how cardiovascular care pathways can prepare for disruption, from pandemics to extreme environmental events, cyber threats and other crises that can interrupt the delivery of care.
Developing, testing and sharing RESIL-Card with cardiovascular professionals, health system experts, patient representatives and healthcare policymakers across different European contexts has highlighted several lessons.
1. Resilience starts with the care pathway
A crisis may affect a hospital or a service, but its consequences are ultimately felt along the patient’s journey through care. Looking at the pathway as a whole helps teams identify where disruption could create delays, gaps or vulnerabilities.
2. Preparedness is a team effort
No single professional group has the complete picture. Bringing together the stakeholders involved in delivering and experiencing cardiovascular care – including patients – creates a broader understanding of vulnerabilities and potential solutions.
3. Assessment is only the starting point
Identifying vulnerabilities is valuable, but it is not the end goal. The real opportunity comes from using the assessment to prioritise issues, agree on actions and strengthen the care pathway over time.
4. Resilience needs to be continuously strengthened
As care pathways, resources and risks change, preparedness cannot be a one-off exercise. Regularly assessing it, revisiting vulnerabilities and learning from experience can help teams remain prepared as circumstances evolve.
These lessons have shaped RESIL-Card from its development through testing and implementation. They also point to what comes next: making resilience a continued priority for the cardiovascular community.
