McDonough District Hospital Cardiac Rehab Achieves Three-Year Recertification
McDonough District Hospital (MDH) has once again earned a three-year recertification from the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR), demonstrating its commitment to high-quality patient care.
This recertification recognizes the effectiveness of MDH’s Cardiac Rehabilitation program, which is designed to help individuals recover from heart attacks, bypass surgery, and other cardiovascular conditions, as well as pulmonary issues like COPD.The program combines supervised exercise, patient education, counseling, and support for both patients and their families.
“This achievement highlights the dedication of our Cardiac Rehab staff and their adherence to the rigorous standards set by AACVPR,” stated Phyllis McLouth, PT, DPT, Director of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation at MDH.
The recertification process involved a complete review of the program’s practices, ensuring alignment with AACVPR guidelines and standards. AACVPR Program Certification is a peer-reviewed accreditation,signifying a commitment to advanced practices and measurable patient outcomes.
The MDH Cardiac rehab team includes Ginger Shawgo, RN; Jacki Lee, RN; Marc kessler, ATC; and Tim Piper, Ed.D, CSCS. McLouth specifically commended their dedication to patient care and the recertification effort.
AACVPR recently shifted to an outcomes-based certification process, emphasizing demonstrable improvements in patient health. This makes AACVPR-certified programs leaders in the field, offering the most current and effective rehabilitation strategies.
MDH’s Cardiac Rehabilitation program offers three phases of care: inpatient treatment (Phase I), a physician-ordered 8-12 week program following hospital discharge (Phase II), and a continuing, personalized workout option at the MDH facility (Phase III).
“Our Phase III participants are incredibly committed,” McLouth noted. ”We have patients who have been attending for over 20 years, benefiting from physician support and the strong sense of community within the group.”
About AACVPR: Founded in 1985, the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) is dedicated to reducing the impact of cardiovascular and pulmonary disease through education, prevention, rehabilitation, research, and disease management. More information can be found at www.aacvpr.org.
About MDH Cardiac Rehabilitation: Established in 1985, the MDH Cardiac Rehabilitation program focuses on helping patients regain strength and endurance after procedures like open-heart surgery, heart attack, stent placement, valve repair/replacement, or for those with stable angina. The program also emphasizes long-term lifestyle changes and risk factor modification. for more information, call (309) 836-1601 or visit MDH.org.
