Joan and Joel Smilow Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation & Prevention Center
With the recent expansion of the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Network, the world renowned Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine is proud to offer a continuum of cardiopulmonary patient services. In addition to the acute inpatient and outpatient cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation provided at the Joan and Joel Smilow Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention Center, the Cardiopulmonary Care Management Program designed by the interdisciplinary clinical team at Rusk, is now available at seven subacute member facilities.

Cardiac Rehabilitation
Designed to promote strength, function and wellbeing, the comprehensive cardiac programs at the Smilow Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention Center focus on monitored, personalized exercise therapy. Also featuring nutrition and lifestyle management, they encompass:

Primary prevention and wellness promotion: screening and treatment of risk factors — through education, peer group support, exercise and medical supervision—before the onset of cardiovascular disease;

Secondary prevention: help with improving identified cardiac risk factors once heart disease has been diagnosed.

Outpatient Program
This 12-week program includes:

• 36 hour-long sessions of individualized monitored aerobic exercise to promote endurance, health and wellbeing, and to teach patients to assess their tolerance for exercise by developing selfmonitoring skills
• Weekly educational seminars on all aspects of cardiac wellbeing
• Nutritional guidance towards a hearthealthy diet
• Individual monitoring, by a specialized Nurse Educator, of patients with diabetes. At the end of the program, in addition to receiving a recommended maintenance program for ongoing exercise and lifestyle modification, patients are encouraged to participate in a cardiovascular disease support group, such as the Mended Hearts Association.

Cardiac Conditions Treated

• Angina
• Arrhythmias, pacemaker and defibrillator placement
• Cardiomyopathy
• Cardiac valve repair / replacement
• Congestive heart failure (treatment includes the Living with Heart Failure Program — support, therapy and supervision for patients and their caregivers to enhance physical and emotional health, wellbeing, and overall ability to function in society)
• Coronary angioplasty and stenting
• Coronary artery bypass (CABG) surgery
• Myocardial infarction
• Peripheral vascular disease

Pulmonary Rehabilitation
The goals of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program are to improve function, reduce symptoms such as breathlessness, reduce stress and anxiety, teach patients the proper techniques of taking their medication, and enhance their quality of life.

The outpatient program includes:

• Up to 24 one-hour sessions of oneon- one monitored therapy with a physical therapist in the pulmonary gym. Sessions are divided into secretion clearance techniques, breathing exercises, progressive aerobic and functional training, and strengthening exercises.
• Individual and group patient education on the proper use of peak flow meters, nebulizers, ventilators, and acapella devices
• Individual or group classes on smoking cessation, stress reduction and nutritional counseling

Pulmonary Conditions Monitored

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases - emphysema and chronic bronchitis
• Asthma • Bronchiectasis
• Restrictive diseases—kyphoscoliosis, sarcoidosis, pulmonary fibrosis
• Neuromusculoskeletal diseases— spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy, polio
• Lung volume reduction, lobectomy and pneumonectomy
• Lung transplant

For a referall form for Cardiac treatment, click here.