LeConte Medical Center’s medically supervised Cardiopulmonary Rehab program seeks to safely restore physical fitness and function for patients who have recently had a serious cardiac or pulmonary event. Through exercise, education, counseling and healthy lifestyle changes, patients regain confidence in exercising their heart and lungs through a structured and supervised program designed to reduce the risk of further complications from heart and lung disease.
Key Components
- Medically supervised exercises — Our team will design a plan of care using aerobic exercise, strength training, and other functional activities.
- Tailored just for you — Your exercise program is customized to meet your needs. During your workout, you are monitored and continuously supervised by our staff.
- Regained health — We help you feel confident that your exercise is safe and that your exercise plan will be increased progressively to build and regain your strength and endurance.
- Communication with your physician — As a key component of your treatment plan, your progress is reported to your physician from the beginning to the end of your rehabilitative program.
- Education on modifying risk factors — Your wellness includes not only physical fitness, but also healthy lifestyle and eating habits. Your team will provide you with the education and assistance to restore you to the best of health.
Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
Leaving the hospital is just the first step in recovering from a heart attack, heart surgery or angioplasty. In order to help patients begin and maintain a healthy lifestyle, the Cardiac Rehabilitation team tailors a program to specifically meet the needs of each patient. Following clearance from the physician, an individualized exercise and diet program is outlined and implemented. The exercise sessions last for 1½ hours and meet three times a week for 8–12 weeks, close to home in Sevier County. Heart monitoring is used to detect any irregular beats or changes in heart activity during exercise.
Educational classes led by the Cardiac Rehabilitation team teach patients and their family about the heart, heart disease, high-risk factors and ways to reduce their risk for further heart damage. In addition to the classes, patients (and family, if needed) may receive private counseling to assist in modifying smoking habits and coping with stress. Counseling on diet and nutrition is also offered by a dietician for patients and family members, emphasizing topics such as healthy meal preparation, grocery shopping and dining out.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program
Chronic pulmonary disease is costly in both dollars and lives. Lung disease is the fifth leading cause of death and disability in Tennessee. These statistics justify our goal to reduce the number of people hospitalized or disabled with pulmonary symptoms. Pulmonary Rehabilitation programs have been proven to reduce hospital admissions and improve exercise tolerance in people with lung diseases.
Participants in the program may be suffering from:
- Asthma
- Chronic bronchitis
- COPD
- Emphysema
- Other conditions that might impair the flow of air from the lungs.
An Individualized Program
Our Pulmonary Rehabilitation team provides individualized programs for exercise prescriptions, educational classes and support services. Sessions are twice weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 1½ hours, for a total of 24–36 sessions. During the sessions patients can expect information on basic lung anatomy and function, symptom management, proper breathing techniques, diet recommendations, disease descriptions, medications, relaxation techniques and exercise therapy. Individuals are eligible for the program if they have lung disease. The Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation team is staffed by nurses and a respiratory therapist.
Cost of Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Most insurance policies cover Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation programs. Contact your insurance company to see if you qualify.
After the Program
When the patient completes the Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation program, a final summary is compiled and forwarded to the primary care physician. We offer a continued maintenance program for a monthly fee.
Information for Heart Failure Patients
Covenant Health, the region’s top-performing healthcare network, includes our facilities at LeConte Medical Center. We have created a resource booklet for patients who are being treated for heart failure. This booklet includes details about heart failure, how it is diagnosed and treated, and lifestyle information for those seeking to be as healthy and active as possible while dealing with heart failure. In addition, the booklet contains tracking sheets to record information that will be helpful for you and your healthcare provider, as well as a list of resources and services within Covenant Health.
To read the booklet online or download a printable copy, click here.