Capital Health has launched a new pulmonary rehabilitation program designed to serve patients with chronic lung disease who live in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and Mercer County, New Jersey.
The program offers an exercise and educational program in an outpatient setting to help patients better control symptoms and reduce the risk of complications. The program is located in the wellness center at Capital Health Medical Center in Hopewell, New Jersey.
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About 30 million U.S. residents have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The COPD Foundation considers it an "umbrella term" encompassing several progressive lung diseases, including emphysema, chronic bronchitis and refractory (non-reversible) asthma. The most common symptom of COPD is increasing breathlessness.
"Collaboration is the key to the program's success, and participants see the benefits of this approach right from the start," program director Diana Colman said in a statement. "After getting a physician referral for the program, patients undergo pulmonary function tests and interview with our staff before working closely with our team of physicians, registered nurses, exercise physiologists and registered respiratory therapists."
All exercise is monitored by tracking EKG, heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen levels. The educational component of the program consists of individual and group discussions on nutrition and lung disease, breathing retraining, infection prevention, oxygen use, respiratory medications and stress management.
"Together, our team and your referring physician develop a customized, carefully coordinated program that helps strengthen breathing muscles and enhance daily living," Colman added. "Patients with severe emphysema may also participate in the program to determine if they are candidates for non-surgical treatments."
For more information about the program, visit capitalhealth.org/pulmonaryrehab or call (609) 537-6420. Also check with your insurance provider to see if the program is covered by your health plan.