Patient Care

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Each patient in the Cardiac Advancement through Rehabilitation, Education and Support
(CARES) program has an individually tailored rehabilitation program aimed at helping him or her gain as high a level of functional independence as possible.

While many people with cardiac conditions go directly home or to a nursing home from the acute care hospital, there are several unique aspects of Madonna's CARES Program that make it an excellent alternative.

Clinical Expertise: Madonna uses the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Guidelines to establish an individualized treatment program for each person served. Madonna's nurses and therapists have received extra training and competency testing specific to cardiac rehabilitation.

Cardiac Monitoring: Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital and Madonna ProActive Health & Fitness are wired for telemetry, or cardiac monitoring. Inpatients in the CARES program routinely have cardiac monitoring during therapy sessions as well as other activities such as self-care. Feedback is provided to the staff and physicians so adjustments may be made as needed. Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation participants, at Madonna ProActive, also receive cardiac monitoring during their exercise sessions.

Interdisciplinary Treatment Approach: Madonna's interdisciplinary team approach provides seamless and timely transition between each patient's acute care admission and a Phase II outpatient program, and maximizes the patient's chances of successful return to home and community. The interdisciplinary team is made up of:

• Internal Medicine Physician, who rounds daily

• Rehabilitation nurses with special training in cardiac care

• Pharmacist

• Physical Therapists

• Occupational Therapists

• Respiratory Therapists

• Neuropsychologist

• Nutrition Therapist

• Recreation Therapist

• Speech Therapist

• Case Manager

• Social Worker

• Spiritual Care

Cardiac Education Knowing what has happened and what to expect next adds to the rehabilitation experience and helps ensure success. Cardiac patients, families and caregivers receive individualized and group education sessions on a variety of topics, including:

• Cardiac disease

• Risk factors and prevention

• Cardiac medications

• Applying exercise to cardiac recovery

• Energy conservation

• Pain management

• Nutrition

• Stress Management

• Coping Strategies