Hospital's cardiac rehabilitation program re-certified

HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital is proud to announce the re-certification of its cardiac rehabilitation program by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. This certification is recognition of the hospital’s commitment to improving the quality of life of patients by enhancing standards of care. AACVPR Program Certification is awarded for a period of three years.

Cardiac rehabilitation programs are designed to help people with cardiovascular problems (e.g., heart attacks, heart procedures, coronary artery bypass graft surgery) recover faster and live healthier. The program includes exercise, education, counseling and support for patients and their families.

“We are proud to maintain our certification as a testament to the quality care and treatment provided to our cardiac rehabilitation patients,” said Nancy DeMars, director of cardiopulmonary services at HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital.

To earn accreditation, HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital participated in an application process that requires extensive documentation of the program’s practices. AACVPR Program Certification is the only peer-review accreditation process designed to review individual programs for adherence to standards and guidelines developed and published by AACVPR and other related professional societies. Each program’s application is reviewed by the AACVPR Program Certification Committee, and certification is awarded by the AACVPR Board of Directors.

In 2018, AACVPR moved to an outcomes-based process with performance measurements that represent more meaningful outcomes. Therefore, AACVPR-certified programs are leaders in the cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation field because they offer the most advanced practices available and have proven track records of high quality patient care.