SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass. — April 17, 2014 — Harrington HealthCare Systems Cardiac Rehabilitation Department has added treatment for congestive heart failure to its comprehensive rehabilitation program.
The addition of congestive heart failure patients to the program is prompted by new regulations that provide Medicare coverage for patients with congestive heart failure.
The program is designed to help patients learn to live with heart failure and be more active in their day-to-day living. The therapy is tailored to each patients individual needs and family members are encouraged to attend the program with them.
The congestive heart failure segment of the program begins after a patient is discharged from the hospital and is stable or referred by their primary care physician or cardiologist. Patients can also self refer themselves by contacting Cardiac Rehab at the phone number below. The Cardiac Rehab team meets with the patient and performs a complete evaluation. The team will offer patients instruction about their low-sodium diet, advice on how to take medication properly, how to exercise, and risk-factor modification.
Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart cant pump sufficient blood to deliver oxygen to the body. Common symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue and swelling.
Heart failure accounts for about 800,000 hospital admissions a year. Approximately 6.5 million Americans are living with heart failure, and 650,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.
For more information on the program and the Cardiac Rehabilitation Department, please call 508-765-2295, or visit Harrington online at harringtonhos.wpengine.com. The Cardiac Rehabilitation Department is also listed on the Massachusetts Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation website under Program Director at www.macvpr.org
The Harrington Cardiac Rehabilitation team includes Medical Director and Cardiologist John Tumolo, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.C.P., Cardiologist Paul Santolucito, M.D., dieticians, physical therapists and nurses, as well as the patients physician and cardiologist.
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