Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Heart disease or a heart attack often brings lifestyle changes. When those changes mean diet and exercise, the team at Forrest Health's LiveWell Center in Hattiesburg is ready to help.

Cardiac Rehabilitation at Forrest Health is a multiphase program designed to guide cardiac patients through the trauma and lifestyle changes that heart disease can bring. The Cardiac Rehabilitation program is administered by a multidisciplinary team including a:

• Medical Director
• Exercise Physiologist
• Registered Respiratory Therapist
• Registered Nurse
• Registered Dietitian
• Smoking Cessation Coach
• Certified Diabetes Care and Ed. Specialist 
  
  

Helping You Make Positive Changes

Over the course of the rehabilitation program, which includes 2-5 sessions weekly for a total of up to 36 sessions or required medical necessity, the team educates the patient about lifestyle management and cardiovascular risk reduction. Patients must be physician-referred with a qualified cardiac or pulmonary diagnosis. 

Who Qualifies for Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation? 

Patients recovering from or managing one of the following conditions or diagnoses and have a physician referral may be eligible to participate in our rehabilitation program. 

• Heart Attack
• Coronary artery bypass graft 
• Heart valve repair or replacement
• Stable angina pectoris
• Angioplasty or stenting
• Congestive heart failure and those with ventricular assist devices
• Heart transplant
• Peripheral Vascular Disease
• Other diagnoses in question must be approved by insurance

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Emphysema
• COVID-19
• Asthma
• Chronic bronchitis
• Pulmonary fibrosis/interstitial lung disease
• Cystic fibrosis
• Lung transplant
• Other diagnoses in question must be approved by insurance

Benefits of Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation

• Increased exercise tolerance
• Improvement in lipids and blood pressure
• Improvements in symptoms
• Better management of blood sugar/diabetes management
• Reduction of stress, anxiety, and depression 
• Steps toward tobacco cessation
• Improvement in quality of life
• Reduction of hospitalizations
• Meeting and talking with other patients

Inpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation

Inpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation begins upon admission to Forrest General Hospital for a cardiac event. Education, early low-level exercise, family support and dietary counsel coordinated by rehabilitation staff gives patients a head start on taking control of their lives after a diagnosis of heart disease.

Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation

On your first visit to LiveWell for your scheduled evaluation, you will perform a fitness test to assess flexibility, strength, balance and endurance while being supervised by staff and EKG monitoring. You will also meet with a member of our team to discuss your cardiac event, medications and medical history.

After your initial evaluation, you may begin your rehabilitation. Our exercise physiologists will create an individual exercise plan based on your abilities, which will be progressed throughout the program. Educational topics such as anatomy and physiology of the heart, stress reduction, effects of medication and modification of lifestyle to reflect heart-healthy living are also presented during the course.

Group classes are offered each week to educate patients and families about controllable risk factors. A one-on-one meeting with our dietitian will also be offered to assist in nutrition choices. If needed, our certified diabetes educator will work with you to address questions and concerns regarding glucose monitoring, medication and diet modifications.

Alternative Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation in Walthall County

This option is designed to meet the needs of individuals living outside the Hattiesburg area. This allows patients to participate in a monitored cardiac rehabilitation program based at a local health care facility in their community. We know that altering your lifestyle is a big change, and we're committed to making the process as convenient as possible for you.