Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation - Dignity Health - Mercy General Hospital

Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation at Mercy General Hospital can help if you have experienced or are recovering from any of the following heart and lung-related conditions: 

• Angina

• Angioplasty (coronary and peripheral) 

• Arrhythmias

• Asthma

• Atrial fibrillation 

• Emphysema

• Cardiac arrest

• Chest pain

• Chronic bronchitis

• Chronic lung disease

• Chronic pulmonary heart disease

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

• Coronary artery disease

• Cardiac arrest

• Coronary stents

• Dilated cardiomyopathy

• Heart attack

• Heart failure

• Heart transplant

• High cholesterol

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

• Metabolic syndrome

• Mitral valve repair surgery

• Obesity

• Peripheral artery disease

• Pulmonary hypertension

• Pulmonary edema

• Pulmonary fibrosis

• Restrictive cardiomyopathy

• Surgical procedures, including open heart surgery

• Transcatheter mitral valve repair

Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation is a supervised program that helps you safely recover and improve your heart and lung health. It usually includes guided exercise, education and support to help you feel stronger and more confident in your daily activities.

During the program, a care team creates a personalized plan based on your health needs and goals. You’ll learn how to exercise safely, manage symptoms like shortness of breath or fatigue, and make heart-healthy lifestyle changes. This may include tips for nutrition, stress management, quitting smoking and taking medications as prescribed.

You’ll work with a variety of rehabilitation specialists that includes pulmonologists or cardiologists, registered dietitians, fitness specialists, respiratory therapists and specially trained nurses working together to help you meet your goals.

Our program designed to help you manage heart and lung conditions, build healthy habits and maintain your overall health. The program includes evaluation, education, supervised exercise, counseling and follow-up visits.

• A personalized exercise plan focused on improving your heart and lung health

• Blood pressure, heart rate and rhythm tracking (using an EKG monitor)

• Nutrition guidance to support heart-healthy and lung-healthy habits

• Education on managing your condition, symptoms and risk factors

• Review of your medical history and current health status

• Medication education and management

• Oxygen monitoring and adjustments, if needed

• Physical assessments to track your progress

• Techniques to help control shortness of breath and improve endurance

• Ongoing support to help you return to daily activities with confidence

• X-rays and laboratory tests, including blood draws and sputum (mucus in the lungs) collection

Our team creates a care plan tailored to your needs and offers additional, optional services, including: 

• Chaplaincy

• Discharge planning (via a continuum of care coordinator)

• Follow-up pulmonary rehabilitation and continuing exercise program

• Nutrition

• Pharmacy services

• Smoking cessation program

• Social services

• Support groups (Pulmonary Table, Pulmonary Pals or Better Breathers Club)

You need a referral from your doctor to enroll in the cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program. Other eligibility criteria include being age 18 or older (must be an adult) and having a diagnosis of a chronic pulmonary disease. You will remain under the care of your referring doctor while you are in the program, as this program complements your doctor’s care. If you have questions about eligibility, enrollment or referrals, call (916) 453-4566 for cardiovascular rehabilitation or (916) 453-4521 for pulmonary rehabilitation.

Most health insurance plans cover our cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program, including Medicare. Coverage can vary based on your plan and provider network. Our cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program staff can help verify insurance coverage, explain benefits and answer questions, so you can focus on your care. If you have questions, call (916) 453-4566 for cardiovascular rehabilitation or (916) 453-4521 for pulmonary rehabilitation.