Guadalupe Regional Medical Center’s Cardiac Rehab department has recently obtained national program certification from the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). The 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 professional societies. Each program is reviewed by the AACVPR Program Certification Committee and Certification is awarded by the AACVPR Board of Directors.

“This was a year-long process for our department involving all of our staff members who collected data and assisted in filling out the information required for the AACVPR certification”, says Mary Mollenkopf, MSN, RN, AGCNS-BS, Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation at Guadalupe Regional Medical Center. “I am extremely proud of our team for their commitment to improving the quality of life by enhancing standards of care. We continue to strive in assisting our patients in achieving personal goals, as well as overall improved levels of health.”

AACVPR certified programs are recognized as leaders in the field of cardiovascular rehabilitation because they offer the most advanced practices available. The GRMC Cardiovascular Rehabilitation program is individualized and personalized for patients with heart problems (e.g., heart attacks, valve replacements, cardiac stents or coronary artery bypass graft surgery) to help them recover faster, adopt healthier lifestyles and improve their quality of life. The program includes exercise, risk reduction education and support for patients and their families. GRMC is able to provide continuity of care for heart patients at the local level providing excellent cardiac care in our emergency department, advanced Cath Lab services and continuing on to our outpatient Cardiac Rehab program. The department will soon be adding a new prescription exercise program designed to assist people with peripheral artery disease.