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Heart and Vascular Cardiac Rehab & Wellness

Cardiac Rehabilitation Program

Certified Cardiac Rehabilitation That’s Close to Home

Call 413-794-CARE to schedule your cardiac rehab appointment.

Cardiac rehabilitation, also known as cardiac rehab, is a program to improve your heart health after you’ve had a cardiovascular event (any condition that can cause damage to your heart muscle or blood vessels) or treatment for such an event. These include:

  • Angioplasty (a minimally invasive procedure to widen an artery to improve blood flow) or placement of a stent (a tiny tube that goes into a blood vessel to hold it open and improve blood flow)
  • Heart attack
  • Heart failure
  • Heart surgery, including MitraClip surgery (a minimally invasive procedure to help your heart’s mitral valve close more effectively) and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) surgery
  • Heart transplant
  • Peripheral artery disease, which we treat with our vascular rehab program
  • Stable angina (chest pain or discomfort that usually occurs with activity or stress)

Baystate Health has had a strong cardiac rehab program in place since 1978. We were one of the first healthcare systems to offer cardiac rehab to our patients. Today, our Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Program is one of the largest in New England. We are certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR), which recognizes programs that meet the highest standards for cardiac rehab care.

In addition, our program’s medical director, Dr. Quinn Pack, is one of the nation’s leading experts in cardiac health. Dr. Pack is on the AACVPR’s Board of Directors and is heavily involved in research that focuses on best practices in cardiac rehab. Find a cardiac rehab provider.

Take charge of what you can today. Call 413-794-CARE to schedule your cardiac rehab appointment.

What to Expect When You Start Cardiac Rehab

You must have a prescription or an order from a referring provider to start cardiac rehab. We work with patients with heart or vascular conditions who come from within the Baystate Health system and those who come from outside our system.

Our outpatient cardiac rehab is the second phase of your recovery process. (See the frequently asked questions below for more on the phases of cardiac rehab care.) You’ll come in for a one-on-one orientation with one of our cardiac rehab team members after your discharge from the hospital. We’ll go over your welcome handout (pdf) and other important information together. From there, we’ll work with you to establish your goals for rehab and the resources available to you during your time in the program. These include:

  • A personalized prescription for your cardiac rehab exercise program two to three times per week
  • Appointments with our registered dietitian to improve your nutrition and dietary habits (download our Heart Healthy Nutrition Guide)
  • Instruction from our team members on exercise to improve any potential risk factors for heart and vascular disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle
  • Mindfulness training with specially trained nurses to help reduce your stress and improve coping skills
  • One-on-one meetings with our tobacco treatment experts to reduce your tobacco use and dependence on nicotine if needed
  • Regular monitoring of your blood pressure, electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), and exercise performance

At every phase, our doctors will monitor and oversee your cardiac rehab to ensure you’re getting the best possible care. We’ll update your referring provider of your progress and any potential concerns in case your treatment plan requires adjustment.

Our Cardiac Rehab Locations

We provide cardiac rehab in three locations: Springfield, Greenfield, and Westfield. To make an appointment, call us at 413-794-CARE.

Cardiac Rehab in Springfield

Our spacious facility in Springfield is located off I-91 in the Tolosky Center at 3300 Main Street. This is one of the most comprehensive cardiac rehab programs in New England. At this location, we offer a specialized exercise program for peripheral artery disease (PAD) that most Medicare insurance plans cover. Call 413-794-7024 to learn more.

Cardiac Rehab in Greenfield

Our Greenfield cardiac rehab program is located at Baystate Franklin Medical Center at 164 High Street. We continue to expand this program to serve the needs of our patients throughout the Pioneer Valley. Call 413-773-0211 to learn more.

Cardiac Rehab in Westfield

Our Westfield cardiac rehab program is located at Baystate Noble Hospital at 115 West Silver Street. This program is growing to meet the needs of our patients in the area. Call 413-571-0000 to learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cardiac Rehab

It’s natural to have questions about cardiac rehab and why you should take advantage of this treatment option as part of your recovery process. Below, we’ve gathered some of the questions we hear most often from patients in our cardiac rehab program, as well as the answers you need to make the best choices for your care.

Why Do I Need Cardiac Rehab?

If you were hospitalized as part of your heart or vascular care, getting healthy enough to go home was only the first step in your treatment plan. The next step is to build up your strength and improve your heart and vascular health through cardiac rehab.

Cardiac rehab reduces your risk of death by 47% and reduces your risk for a heart attack by 31%, as noted by Million Hearts, an initiative co-led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. It’s the best treatment available, even more than medications. Participating in cardiac rehab can keep you out of the hospital and living a healthy life.

Will I Always Work With the Same Cardiac Rehab Team Members?

When you come in for your first cardiac rehab appointment, we’ll assign you to a team of three to five of our team members. You’ll work with the same core team every time or nearly every time you come in, depending on your prescribed schedule.

How Often Will I Need to Come in for Cardiac Rehab?

You and your referring doctor will decide on the schedule that works best for you and your condition. However, the standard of care for cardiac rehab is 30 to 36 sessions. That usually works out to two to three sessions per week in one of our cardiac rehab gyms for 12 to 14 weeks.

What Are the Three Phases of Cardiac Rehab?

You may have heard your doctor or care team discuss the three phases of cardiac rehab, either in the hospital or in your outpatient care. Those three phases are:

  • Phase 1: This phase includes your inpatient care immediately after your cardiac event or surgery. Your care team makes sure you are healthy enough to go home and get around on your own.
  • Phase 2: Your cardiac rehab care starts in this phase. You’ll work on your recovery and how to take care of yourself with safe exercise, proper nutrition, and stress reduction on an outpatient basis.
  • Phase 3: This phase involves long-term plans for your heart and vascular wellness, including ongoing exercise and nutrition plans. You may have a long-term need for cardiac rehab care beyond the traditional 12-to-14-week period; if so, that would take place in phase 3 of your care.

Is Cardiac Rehab Considered Physical Therapy?

They are related, but they are not the same thing. Cardiac rehab is a comprehensive program that helps improve your heart and vascular health through exercise, diet, and nutrition counseling.

Physical therapy uses exercise to improve strength, endurance, and range of motion, as well as to reduce pain and the risk of falls, among other goals. Physical therapy may play a role in cardiac rehab, but the two activities are not interchangeable.

How Will You Help Me During My Recovery?

Our team will be here for you every step of the way. In addition to your personalized cardiac rehab exercise and nutrition plans, you can benefit from the following support systems:

Billing flexibility: We can work with you so you can pay your co-pays over at least 12 months in an interest-free account.

Families welcome: Your loved ones are your best support system. Your family members can participate in orientation, appointments with registered dietitians and our weekly educational topics.

Returning to work: Cardiac rehab maximizes your function and ability to do work. Most Massachusetts employees are eligible for paid family medical leave (PFML) after a hospitalization. Learn more about PFML from the commonwealth of Massachusetts, or contact your employer’s human resources department for more information.

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