HOISINGTON — Just in time for National Cardiac Rehabilitation Week (Feb. 13-19), Clara Barton Medical Center has yet another reason to celebrate. As construction finally nears completion, the Cardiac Rehabilitation/Respiratory Therapy Department has moved into its newly renovated and expanded space thanks to Clara Barton Foundation membership support.
Cardiac Rehabilitation is an outpatient service available at Clara Barton Medical Center that includes lifestyle modification, supervised exercise, and education to help individuals learn healthy lifestyle techniques. This type of rehabilitation is done to prevent the progression of coronary artery disease (CAD) and assist in recovery following a heart attack or cardiac surgery.
As heart disease remains the leading cause of death across the United States and worldwide, the growing cardiac rehab program at Clara Barton has been one of the many recipients of foundation funding over the last several years.
“Cardiac rehabilitation has been truly blessed with the support and generosity the foundation has shown us,” said Lori Vainer, director of cardiac rehab/respiratory therapy. “We were able to update our EKG machine, which now allows us to acquire data much quicker and transmit those tracings directly to the patient chart, along with several other exciting new equipment purchases. The foundation’s support has helped us update and enhance our services so our community can continue receiving the quality of care they deserve.”
Clara Barton Foundation committed funds from the 2020-2021 membership drive, totaling $38,712. Members helped replace a 13-year-old EKG unit and a cardiac monitor in addition to helping fund two treadmills with handrails and a recumbent bike.
The additional treadmills and new recumbent bike now allow staff to keep cardiac patients on the move without waiting for equipment to become available. In addition, the recumbent bike gives patients a new exercise option that may be a better fit for their physical capability, further personalizing their treatment plan.
At Clara Barton Medical Center, cardiac rehabilitation and respiratory therapy essentially function as one department with two different areas of focus – the heart and lungs. In the past, all treatments and therapies were crammed into one room. Now that the construction of their new area is complete, the square footage has doubled and now features a dedicated EKG room, a pulmonary function room, an open gym for cardiac rehab, a storage room, and a committed office space.
“Successful membership drives allow us to serve even more patients locally, with top-notch equipment to aid in their rehabilitation process,” said Michelle Moshier, Foundation director. “We want to remind all of our supporters that membership matters, and you are making a huge impact on the health care we deliver in this community.”
