WHEELING, WV — Services have resumed for patients of Wheeling Hospital’s Cardiac and Pulmonary rehabilitation programs.

The reopening brought back patients who were already enrolled when COVID-19 temporarily closed the Howard Long Wellness Center.

Christine Wallace, BSN, nurse manager of Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab, said, “We will begin with current enrollment, but we are also establishing a wait list for new referrals. We’re working to accommodate everyone as quickly as possible.”

Each program will offer six classes a day, three days a week. Cardiac Rehab will have a limit of eight patients per class; and Pulmonary Rehab will have four.

Social distancing will be observed; staff will wear goggles and masks; and patients will wear masks. Strict hand hygiene will be enforced, and all equipment will be cleaned after each use.

“Our focus is on keeping patients safe,” Wallace stressed.

The cardiac rehab program is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.

Following a heart attack, coronary bypass surgery, angioplasty or stent, valve surgery or TAVR, patients at the center are receiving the highest level of cardiac rehabilitation, according to the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.

For people who have undergone heart surgery or had a heart attack, the recovery is not finished until they undergo cardiac rehab to restore them to their optimal condition.

Rehab reduces the need for re-admission, enhances the quality of life and raises chance of survival. Cardiac rehab provides supervised exercise training and telemetry monitoring, psychological support and educational classes that focus on risk factor modification.

Pulmonary rehab provides supervised exercise training, respiratory care instruction and nutritional counseling, as well as educational classes and psychosocial support.

The rehab program teams include nurses, exercise physiologists, respiratory therapists, dieticians and diabetic educators. An onsite physician is available during the rehab sessions.

For more information on Wheeling Hospital’s Cardiac and Pulmonary rehabilitation programs, call 304-243-3932.