The goal of this study is to develop a Korean clinical practice guideline (CPG) for cardiac rehabilitation (CR). A committee on CR CPG includes various Korean CR specialists who have experience in developing such guidelines and those who have been recommended by the committee of the academies. It also includes specialists in rehabilitation medicine, cardiology, and thoracic surgery.

The method of CPG development is based on adaptation, but if there are no existing treatment guidelines for the key questions, or if the quality of the treatment guidelines does not meet the criteria of the committee, a hybrid method of developing them with de novo will be used. The literature is to be evaluated using the AGREE-II and the levels for adopting CPG and evidence-based literature are to be determined by the committee. Selection of the guidelines and the literature through evidence-level evaluation is based on internal agreements for guideline decision. The nominal group technique is to be used as a decision-making tool, and the level of consensus for determining the level of recommendation is to be decided by the committee.

The process of drafting the guidelines is to be divided into research methodology and recommendations and the level of evidence and recommendations are to be written into sub-topics. The internal and external reviews of the guidelines are to be requested to the internal and external council members and related institutions/experts invited by the committee.