Cardiac Rehabilitation Program receive certification

HSHS St. Francis Hospital is proud to announce the certification of its cardiovascular/pulmonary rehabilitation program by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). This certification is recognition of St. Francis Hospital’s commitment to improving the quality of life of patients by enhancing standards of care.

Cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation programs are designed to help people with cardiovascular problems (e.g., heart attacks, coronary artery bypass graft surgery) and pulmonary problems (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], other chronic lung diseases, respiratory symptoms) recover faster and live healthier.  Both programs include exercise, education, counseling and support for patients and their families.

“St. Francis Hospital’s certification of our cardiovascular/pulmonary rehabilitation program by the AACVPR demonstrates our commitment to excellence in providing high-quality cardiac care,” said cardiac rehab nurse Marilyn Pastrovich, RN, MSN, CCRP. “Walking through accreditation gives us the opportunity to review our processes and procedures to ensure that we are not only exceeding the standard of care, but also improving our patients’ quality of life,”

To earn accreditation, St. Francis Hospital’s cardiovascular/pulmonary rehabilitation program 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. AACVPR Program Certification is valid for three years.

Photo Caption: HSHS St. Francis Hospital Cardiovascular and Pulmonary professionals (L to R) Marilyn Pastrovich RN, MSN, CCRP, Kathy Hagan RN,  and  Patti Whitlow RN.