Rehab Programs

The Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation programs listed below are conducted in a controlled setting and supervised by one or more Clinical Exercise Physiologists.   

Phase I - Inpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation involves monitored activity while you are still a hospital patient to get you up and moving immediately after a cardiac event. 

Phase II - Cardiac Rehabilitation is a comprehensive outpatient program for patients with heart disease. This program offers a variety of services to meet each individual’s need for increases in exercise capacity, educational counseling for risk factor modification and behavior change. Heart rate, blood pressure and telemetry (ECG) monitoring is included in each session. Currently accepted diagnosis for Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation are: Myocardial Infarction, Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, Chronic Stable Angina, Angioplasty or Coronary Stenting, Heart or Heart and Lung Transplant, Heart Valve Repair or Replacement. 

Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP) is a non-invasive outpatient treatment that helps relieve chest pain and other symptoms of angina. It can also relieve the symptoms of heart failure, which include trouble breathing and feeling very tired even after a small amount of effort. EECP therapy works by increasing the blood and oxygen supply to the heart muscle and decreasing the amount of work the heart has to do to pump blood to the rest of the body. During the treatment, you lie on a comfortable treatment table with large blood pressure-like cuffs wrapped around your legs and buttocks. These cuffs inflate at specific times between your heartbeats. A continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) is used to set the timing so the cuffs inflate while the heart is at rest, when it normally gets its supply of blood and oxygen. The cuffs deflate at the end of that rest period, just before the next heart beat. The special sensor applied to your finger checks the oxygen level in your blood and the EECP system monitors the pressure waves created by the cuff inflations and deflations.

The therapy takes place in the Vernon Memorial Hospital Cardiopulmonary Diagnostics and Rehab Department. Treatments are usually given for an hour each day, five days a week, for a total of 35 to 50 hours. Most patients experience positive results. Data has shown that benefits of EECP therapy can last up to three years after completing the first course of treatment.

Fresh Start is a program of supervised exercise and risk factor education for patients who need a moderately structured program where heart rate, blood pressure, blood glucose, oxygen saturation, weight, and symptoms are monitored. Fresh Start is designed for patients with a diagnosis of diabetes, congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, fibromyalgia, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, stroke, obesity, and pulmonary diseases.  Ask your medical provider for a referral. 

Cardiac Risk Reduction is a low cost, effective program designed for those who are "at risk" of developing heart disease or for those with "known" heart disease who need more guidance in monitoring their symptoms or lack the motivation to get started on their own.  This 8 week program consists of 24 one hour long exercise classes which meet 3 days a week.  The program monitors a variety of parameters which may include but are not limited to:  blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen, daily exercise, food log, weight, body composition, exercise capacity, stress levels and smoking cessation (if needed).   Ask your provider for a referral.