Cardiac Rehabilitation

Cardiac Rehab

The University of Vermont Health Network - Elizabethtown Community Hospital (ECH) offers cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation at its Elizabethtown Community Health Center. Individualized plans will be tailored to meet patient needs and may focus on physical activity, nutrition, and behavior.

Cardiac Rehabilitation is covered by most insurance and is recommended by physicians for those who have been diagnosed with a heart condition, undergone a heart procedure, or had a heart attack. Cardiac Rehabilitation is a specialized program that helps patients develop heart health through education, physical activity, and lifestyle modification interventions.

ECH Cardiac Rehab: How We Compare

The cardiac rehabilitation program at ECH is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, a national organization with the mission to reduce morbidity, mortality, and disability from cardiovascular and pulmonary disease. These certified programs provide education, prevention, rehabilitation, research, and aggressive disease management to all of our patients. With this certification, our program exceeds the national care standards to ensure that ECH patients get the very best care possible.

Am I a Candidate for Cardiac Rehab?

Talk to your cardiologist or other physician about whether you might be a candidate for Cardiac Rehabilitation.

Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation

Candidates for Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation include all individuals who have had a heart problem including:

  • Heart Attack
  • Coronary Artery Disease
  • Heart Failure
  • Peripheral Artery Disease
  • Chest Pain (stable angina)
  • Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
  • Angioplasty and Stents
  • Heart Transplant
  • Heart Valve Repair

Phase III Cardiac Rehabilitation

For patients who have certain heart conditions that do not qualify for Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation, Phase III Cardiac Rehabilitation is a 6-week (18 session) self-pay program that may be appropriate. Participants pay an out-of-pocket (non-refundable) $300 fee.

Some examples of conditions eligible for Phase III Cardiac Rehabilitation include:

  • Congestive Heart Failure
  • Surgically Repaired Aortic Aneurism
  • Controlled Atrial Fibrillation
  • Medically Managed Coronary Artery Disease
  • Pacemaker / Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator
  • Cardiomyopathy
  • Past Cardiac Intervention that is outside the time period that insurance covers for Phase II.

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)

PAD is defined as the narrowing of the arteries in the legs, stomach, arms, and head but is most common in the arteries in the pelvis and legs. It is treated with interventions such as lifestyle change, medications, or both.

Programs specially designed for Peripheral Artery Disease are available.

What do I need to do to before starting cardiac rehab?

Before starting a cardiac rehab program, you will need the following to be sent by your cardiologist or other referring physician:

  • Cardiac Catherization Interventional Report (if applicable)
  • Discharge Summary Report
  • Latest Office Note
  • Lipid Profile
  • Latest EKG
  • Latest Stress Test (Exercise Treadmill Test or Nuclear Test) – If applicable
  • MD Signed Referral to the program

Goals & Benefits of Cardiac Rehabilitation

A physician will prescribe a cardiac rehab program to control your symptoms, increase exercise tolerance, and improve quality of life. Goals of a cardiac rehab program at ECH include:

  • Have better overall health and a better quality of life
  • Lower your risk for heart attack or dying from heart disease
  • Stay out of the hospital and decrease medical bills
  • Manage your symptoms, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue
  • Increase physical fitness and endurance while being continuously monitored in a controlled environment by health professionals
  • Have a heart-healthy lifestyle. This includes being active, eating healthy, losing weight, and not smoking
  • Manage other health problems such as high blood pressure and cholesterol
  • Have more energy
  • Feel less depressed, stressed, or worried
  • Return to your usual activities, including work
  • Get support from your rehab team and other patients in the program
  • In some cases, lessen the need for medication

Rehabilitation Focuses

Your cardiac rehab program is tailored to your individual needs, but will generally include a mix of the following:

  • Monitored Exercise – You will receive regular exercise during supervised and monitored sessions as well as encouragement and ideas for exercising outside of your visits. We’ll supervise and monitor your exercise regimen to ensure an appropriate exertion level.
  • Adopting a Heart Healthy Diet – Through comprehensive education you will learn about foods that can be a positive change to your diet such as fruits, vegetables, low-fat meats and fish, whole grains, and low-salt options.
  • Reduction of Everyday Stressors – You will learn to control your daily stress through a variety of relaxation techniques.
  • Pharmaceutical Education – You will learn about your prescribed medications and what they do for your body.
  • Smoking Cessation – We offer a variety of methods to support your efforts to kick this harmful habit.

Our team includes:

  • Dylan Daniels, MS, ACSM-CEP, AACVPR-CPRPD
  • Rebecca Crowningshield, RN, AEMT-CC
  • Suzanne Riley, RN
  • Jim McNaughton, RN
  • Theresa Schrauf, RN
  • Katie Lee, MS, ACSM-EP-C

For more information, please contact:

Telephone: (518) 873-3170

Email Contact: ddaniels@ech.org

For Medical Professionals

To refer a patient to the program, all referring physicians need to fill out a referral form.

Additionally, the following tests should be ordered and sent:

  • Cardiac Catherization Interventional Report – if applicable
  • Discharge Summary Report
  • Latest Office Note
  • Lipid Profile
  • Latest EKG
  • Latest Stress Test (Exercise Treadmill Test or Nuclear Test) – if applicable