Franciscan Health Olympia Fields’ cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs have earned reaccreditation by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR).
The recertification recognizes the hospital’s commitment to improving patients’ quality of life by enhancing standards of care.
“All of us at Franciscan Health Olympia Fields are proud of the hard work and dedication of our cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation teams that went into achieving this prestigious reaccreditation,” Franciscan Health Olympia Fields President and CEO Raymond Grady said. “Our patients can have extra peace of mind knowing they are receiving exceptional care from highly rated professionals to help them achieve the best outcomes possible.”
Cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation programs are designed to help people with coronary issues (like heart attacks and heart surgeries) and breathing problems (like COPD or emphysema) recover faster and live healthier. Both programs include exercise, education, counseling and support for patients and their families.
Studies have shown patients who participate in cardiac rehabilitation can reduce mortality from all causes by nearly 60% after one year and all causes of hospitalizations by more than 40%, including heart failure. The National Institutes of Health reports pulmonary rehabilitation can help patients gain strength, reduce symptoms of anxiety or depression and make it easier to manage routine activities, work and outings or social activities.
To earn reaccreditation, Franciscan Health Olympia Fields’ rehabilitation programs participated in an application process that required 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. AACVPR-certified programs offer the most advanced practices available and have proven records of high-quality patient care.
The AACVPR Program Certification is valid for three years.
