CLEARFIELD – The American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation recently awarded certification to Clearfield Hospital’s pulmonary rehabilitation program.
The goal of program certification is to assure the facility is meeting the strict standards of care determined by the AACVPR. Clearfield Hospital’s program was reviewed by AACVPR’s regional, state and national committees.
The certification process is very involved and requires extensive data collection and record keeping, according to Amy Dixon, director of Clearfield Hospital’s rehabilitation department. The entire process takes up to one year to complete, she said.
“We’ve had so many positive comments on our pulmonary program since its opening in 2003. The program has attracted patients from all over the central Pennsylvania region due to the success that so many other patients have experienced as a result of their participation,” Dixon said.
She continued, “We have introduced many patients to Clearfield Hospital who otherwise would never have had the opportunity. The patients and physicians trust the program and its therapists. It truly is another high quality program offered by the hospital’s rehabilitation department.”
The pulmonary rehabilitation program, also known as the Better Breathing Center, is a multi-disciplinary program that provides exercise, conditioning, endurance training, education and emotional support to patients with chronic pulmonary disease.
Pulmonary rehabilitation at the Better Breathing Center strives to stabilize or reverse both the aspects of pulmonary disease and attempts to return each patient to the highest possible functional capacity allowed by his or her condition and lifestyle.
Clearfield Hospital is the only facility in central Pennsylvania that offers a program like this for patients. The program has reduced hospital admissions for participants, reduced medication costs, increased functional capacity and given patients a better quality of life.
The treatment team consists of respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists and dieticians as well as a licensed professional counselor. Medical director and pulmonologist Dr. Bruno Romeo leads the team.
The hospital’s cardiac rehabilitation program was also recently awarded AACVPR certification.