Services
Pulmonary
Rehabilitation
One Patient's Story: "My daughter had tears in her eyes. She said, ‘Mom, these people really care about you.’” Read more. |
The outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation program at The
Miriam Hospital is one of only a few in the state. Our comprehensive program includes evaluation,
therapy and education for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
and restrictive lung diseases.
The program begins with a medical evaluation to determine eligibility and patient needs.
Therapy then includes 12 weeks of supervised exercise on a variety of equipment. Short- and
long-term goals are set for each patient and measurable outcomes are tracked. Education plays
a key role in our program and is provided by a variety of medical professionals including our
medical director, staff psychologist, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, dietitians, and
pharmacists.
Since the program’s inception, we have treated 229 patients and the average
patient has increased the distance in their 6-minute walk test by 35 percent and their workload
by 148 percent.
Patients with lung disease such as COPD and pulmonary fibrosis often have a poor quality of
life (QOL) as their disease advances. Activities of daily living are restricted and depression often
ensues. The modalities used in our pulmonary rehabilitation are evidence-based and proven to
alleviate symptoms, improve exercise tolerance, and enhance emotional well-being and QOL
indices.
Pulmonary rehabilitation also has been shown to reduce exacerbation and hospitalization
rates. Our team of physical therapists, respiratory therapists and
exercise physiologists are prepared to make a difference in your life.
Back |
