St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, a Steward Health Care hospital, announced today that its cardiovascular rehabilitation program has earned certification by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). This certification is recognition of St. Elizabeth’s commitment to improving the quality of life of patients by enhancing standards of care.

“With cardiovascular disease being the number one cause of death in the United States, this certification couldn’t come at a more critical time,” said Uyen Lam, MD, cardiac rehab program director. “Whether it's helping patients recover from heart attacks or cardiac surgery, or educating our community about heart health, our team is committed to helping our community live healthier lives.”

Led by expert cardiologists, alongside dedicated nurses, dietitians and exercise physiologists, St. Elizabeth’s cardiovascular rehabilitation program is designed to help people with cardiovascular problems (e.g., heart attacks, coronary artery bypass graft surgery, stents, valve replacements, etc.) recover faster and live healthier.  The program includes exercise, education, counseling and support for patients and their families. The Bernard D. Kosowsky, MD, Cardiovascular Rehabilitation & Prevention Center at St. Elizabeth’s, is the only certified Pritikin program in the Northeast.

To earn accreditation, St. Elizabeth’s rehabilitation program participated in an application process that requires extensive documentation of the program’s practices. AACVPR Program Certification is the only peer-review accreditation process designed to review individual programs for adherence to standards and guidelines developed and published by AACVPR and other related professional societies. Each program’s application is reviewed by the AACVPR Program Certification Committee, and certification is awarded by the AACVPR Board of Directors.

This AACVPR certification builds upon St. Elizabeth’s reputation as one of the region’s leading hospitals for cardiovascular care. Earlier this year, the medical center was ranked #1 in Massachusetts for cardiac surgery and recognized as among America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery for the fifth consecutive year by Healthgrades. Additionally, St. Elizabeth’s received the American Heart Association’s GoldPlus Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Quality Achievement Award for their commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the best care.

About AACVPR

Founded in 1985, the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) is a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to the mission of reducing morbidity, mortality and disability from cardiovascular and pulmonary disease through education, prevention, rehabilitation, research and disease management. Central to the core mission is improving the quality of life for patients and their families. Learn more about AACVPR at www.AACVPR.org.