Cardiac Rehabilitation

Phase I - Inpatient:

West Jefferson Phase I Cardiac Rehab is located on the 3rd floor, 3 West A Office, (504) 349-2254. Any patient who had a Myocardial Infarction, Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (CABG), Heart Valve Surgery, an Angioplasty/Stent, Congestive Heart Failure, Pacemaker/ICD, or other Cardiac Diseases who are medically stable are referred to the Phase I Inpatient Cardiac Rehab.

The major objectives of Phase I include:

• An introduction into the Phase I Program
• Patient and family education designed to specific disease process and needs
• Assessment, evaluation and implementation of an inpatient exercise program
• Safe discharge planning and guidelines for home

Following the referral, the patient is thoroughly evaluated including:

• Assessment of patient’s cardiac condition, health history, current diagnosis, current physical status and psychological status
• Introduction to the program
• Identification of patient’s knowledge of disease process, specific risk factors and goals, cardiac diet, other educational and physical needs

 

After the evaluation, depending on limitations, Phase I Staff assists the patient through a daily progression of exercise. The exercise sessions include gentle range of motion (ROM) exercises and progressive ambulation. Exercise is tailored to each patient’s needs. It depends upon the patient’s specific heart problem and other health related problems. Exercise is to be advanced as tolerated.

What To Expect After Discharge:

Upon discharge, the patient will continue with the gentle (ROM) exercises as instructed. Progression of ambulation will continue as tolerated, but under the guidelines as outlined by the Cardiac Rehab Staff. The patient will have a follow- up appointment with their cardiologist to determine if they are a candidate for progression into the Outpatient Phase II Program. If the patient is not a candidate, the physician will discuss other options.

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Phase II - Outpatient:

West Jefferson Medical Center’s Cardiac Rehab Phase II program is located on the 2nd floor of the WJ Fitness Center, Marrero. Phase II is a medically monitored exercise program, which is a continuation from Phase I. Phase II combines physical exercise with risk factor modification to help with recovery, strengthen your body, and improve your heart function. Risk factors are those things which put you at high risk for having another cardiac event. High blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol and being overweight are all examples. It is important at this stage in rehab to modify and try to get control of these factors to prevent future heart problems.

How does West Jefferson Cardiac Phase II program work?

• Exercise Training: is important to help the patient exercise safely while improving stamina and strengthen muscles. This is done through an individualized exercise prescription written by an Exercise Physiologist. Each patient’s exercise plan is based on their unique abilities, needs and interest.
• Education Counseling: The cardiac rehab team will help each patient learn how to make positive changes in their lives and cope with the stress of adjusting to a new lifestyle.

How is this program covered?

The Cardiac Rehab program is usually covered through your insurance company. Since all insurance plans and companies differ, we will help determine your eligibility for the program. If you are covered, your insurance may require a co-payment or a co-insurance for each visit you attend. If your insurance company does not cover the program we will discuss other options which are available to you.

When are Phase II classes offered?

West Jefferson Cardiac Rehab classes are held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. As a participant of the program it is recommended to attend 3 days per week in order to maintain insurance coverage and also make improvements in your cardiac status.

Classes are held at 7:00am, 8:00am, 9:00am, 10:00am, 2:00pm, 3:00pm, and 5:00pm. Each class lasts about an hour long. You will be assigned a class time based on availability and your schedule. If you need to reschedule or change to a different time, discuss this with your cardiac rehab team. If insurance permits, you could be eligible for 36 rehab visits, over 90 days. Some insurance will authorize less than this. You can also terminate the program at anytime. However, the longer you attend, the more you will benefit.

For more information regarding West Jefferson Cardiac Rehab Phase II please call us at (504)349-6180.

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