Other Services
Pulmonary Rehab
For patients with a pulmonary diagnosis who have limited daily activities because of their condition.

At St. Rita's, our pulmonary rehabilitation (rehab) services are dedicated to improving the quality of life for patients experiencing chronic lung problems. This is accomplished through supervised exercise and education. Our goal is to help you return to your maximum level of function and independence. St. Rita's Medical Center offers state-of-the-art pulmonary rehabilitation services to the residents of West Central Ohio.

Participation
Patients with chronic lung conditions such as bronchitis, emphysema, COPD, asthma and cystic fibrosis among others, may benefit from the pulmonary rehabilitation program at St. Rita's. Also, if you are having lung surgery, pulmonary rehabilitation will assist you in your preparation for surgery and lead you to a more complete recovery.

A multidisciplinary team of professionals including pulmonary physicians, respiratory therapists, nurses and exercise physiologists, dieticians and various other health professionals will work with you to develop rehabilitation goals that are right for you.

A Personalized Program
Personalized Program Before beginning a pulmonary rehabilitation program a complete medical history and physical evaluation is taken. The patient will undergo an exercise test to determine the function and strength of their lungs in addition to the amount of physical activity their body can handle.

Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation programs are focused on each individual patient. St. Rita's therapists set specific goals with each patient based on what they want to achieve. The rehab program is then customized to meet the patient's goals.

The basis of our pulmonary rehabilitation program lies in two disciplines: education and exercise. During educational sessions, patients will learn to understand their lung disease, control anxiety and shortness of breath, use medications properly and incorporate exercise into their lifestyle. Dieticians also provide nutritional counseling to patients to encourage well-balanced meals.

The program also includes exercises to strengthen the upper body and muscles used for breathing. Stationary bicycling and waling on the treadmill are also incorporated into the program to help increase endurance.

Services
The pulmonary rehabilitation team works to maximize the patient's endurance and strength, while teaching them methods of controlling shortness of breath. Proper body alignment through posture is also addressed so patients can learn to inhale as much air as possible. The team always strives to improve the quality of life for the patient and assist them in becoming as independent as possible. Pulmonary rehabilitation will not cure lung disease; however, it can help the patient to live with the disease more effectively.

Four Phases of Rehabilitation
Four Phases of Rehabilitation Phase I rehabilitation begins while the patient is still an inpatient at St. Rita's Medical center. The pulmonary staff works closely with the patient to constantly monitor their needs and encourage them to exercise to their level of tolerance.

Phase II rehab takes place three times a week in Cardiopulmonary Services at St. Rita's for approximately one hour and 30 minutes. The other days of the week, the patient is encouraged to continue rehabilitation exercises at home. Most patients attend a total of six to ten weeks in the Medical Center. However, the actual number will be adjusted based on each patient's personal needs.

Registered nurses, respiratory therapists and exercise physiologists provide continuous monitoring for all patients while they are exercising. In the program, patients will exercise using a treadmill, stationary exercise bicycle, strength training and a box step in addition to upper body exercises.

Patients also have the option to continue their participation in the Phase III/IV pulmonary rehabilitation program.

Phase III and IV Rehabilitation
Phase III and IV Rehab can easily be practiced in the patient's home to continue what they have learned at St. Rita's. However, patients may request to be officially enrolled in our outpatient rehab program. Only the patient knows what works best for them and we will work to accommodate their rehabilitation needs. To maintain the positive results from the rehabilitation experience, the patient will need to continue following their specific program at home or in our facilities.

Location and Insurance Information
Phase II rehabilitation takes place as an outpatient program on the second floor of the Medical Center in Cardiopulmonary Services or at the Putnam County Ambulatory Care Center under the careful care of the pulmonary staff.

Once Phase II is complete, patients can choose to continue their rehab on their own at home or progress to Phases III and IV with the St. Rita's staff. Upon progression to Phases III and IV, the patient will move to Outpatient Rehabilitation at the 830 W. High Street building under the supervision of certified therapists.

Phase II pulmonary rehabilitation is generally covered by most insurance companies, including Medicare. At the time of the referral, Pulmonary Rehab will contact the patient to secure their insurance information and contact the insurance provider to determine their coverage. Following insurance approval, the patient will be contacted to set up an evaluation for the pulmonary rehab program. There are some limitations to the number of sessions applicable per each insurance plan, however our staff will check with your insurance agent or company benefits administrator for a full explanation of your coverage and to verify physician/hospital participation with our health plan.

Pulmonary Rehab

For More Information
(419) 226-9327
(419) 226-9746
Map & Directions Map & Directions

 

Scheduling:
Patients need to be referred for pulmonary rehabilitation by a physician. If you would like help in obtaining a referral to the program or if your physician would like additional information about the
St. Rita’s Pulmonary Rehabilitation program, contact us at
(419) 226-9327 or
(419) 226-9746.

 

What is COPD:
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a group of illnesses that cause obstruction to the airflow out of the lungs. A common symptom is shortness of breath. Chronic bronchitis, emphysema and asthmatic bronchitis are examples of disorders that fall under the umbrella term COPD.