Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation is a medically supervised program of health education and physical activity for women and men of any age.  Our mission is to treat the body, mind, and spirit of people with heart or lung disease so they may lead satisfying, productive, and healthy lives.  Our professional team includes physicians, respiratory therapists, registered nurses, and exercise physiologists specially trained in exercise therapy and disease management.

National Recognition:
The American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation certifies both the cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation program at Hunterdon Medical Center.  This certification process is designed to review and monitor adherence to the high standards and guidelines developed by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation and other professional societies to best serve the patients.

Programs: 

• Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation
• Phase II Pulmonary Rehabilitation
• Phase III Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation 
• Education and Screening Programs

Meet our team

Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation

What is Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation? 
The Phase II program is a medically supervised program of health education and physical activity for women and men of any age with heart disease.

For more than 20 years a dedicated team of healthcare professionals has guided and supported patients and families recovering from heart disease.  Our professional team includes physicians, registered nurses and exercise physiologists specially trained in exercise therapy and disease management.

Our mission is to treat the body, mind, and spirit of people with heart disease so they may lead satisfying, productive, and healthy lives.  Together we help you make positive behavioral changes that will help you achieve and maintain good health, return to an active lifestyle, and reduce your risk of future cardiac events. 


Do You Need Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation?
Ask your doctor about Phase II if you have any of these medical conditions:

• Heart attack
• Cardiac surgery
• Angioplasty/stent
• Valve replacement or repair
• Stable angina
• Cardiomyopathy
• Heart failure
• Heart transplant

Talk to your physician about enrolling in Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation.  The first step for entrance into the program is a referral by your primary care physician  or cardiologist. Your physician will determine if any further testing is necessary.

What You Can Expect:

• An in-depth orientation and nursing assessment to further evaluate your health history and current health status.
• A discussion of your personal goals to develop an individualized action plans for achieving those goals.
• Therapy sessions structured so that you exercise in groups during which you will have continuous heart monitoring and supervision.
• Therapy sessions are generally scheduled 2-3 times per week in the outpatient Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation center.  The length of your program is based on your individual needs and our doctor's recommendations.
• An education program to help you gain a better understanding of heart disease.  This may include:
  • Learning heart-healthy food choices
  • Managing your weight
  • Developing stress management strategies
  • Establishing healthy choices to decrease your cardiac risk
  • Identifying other key ways to manage heart disease

Benefits of Cardiac Rehabilitation:

• The ability to resume normal routine
• Improved heart efficiency
• Increased stamina and strength
• Gain a greater awareness of symptoms and how to manage and understand them
• Exercise in a supportive environment, which develops a camaraderie with other people going through similar experiences
• Improve feelings of well-being and quality of life

Insurance:
We recommend that you contact your insurance carrier in advance to determine your eligibility and coverage.  Our professional staff is available to help you through the process.

For More Information:
These websites can help you to obtain more information about heart disease:

Note: When you click on the following resources you will leave the Hunterdon Healthcare System website and be redirected to an outside site. The individuals portrayed on the outside sites are not employees of Hunterdon Healthcare. Hunterdon Healthcare does not endorse any particular products advertised on the websites visited. 

• American Heart Association
• American Heart Association’s Heart Hub
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Learn more about Peripheral Arterial Disease

Questions?
For questions or more information, please call the Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Department at (908) 788-6371

Phase II Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program

What is Phase II Pulmonary Rehabilitation?
The phase II program is a medically supervised program of health education and physical activity for women and men of any age with lung disease.

For more than 20 years a dedicated team of healthcare professionals has guided and supported patients and families coping with lung disease.  Our professional team includes physicians, respiratory therapists, registered nurses, and exercise physiologist specially trained in exercise therapy and disease management.

Our mission is to treat the body, mind, and spirit of people with lung disease so they may lead satisfying, productive, and healthier lives.  Together we help you meet they day-to-day challenges of living with a chronic lung disorder.

Do You Need Phase II Pulmonary Rehabilitation?
Ask your doctor about Phase II of you have any of these lung disorders:

• Emphysema
• Chronic bronchitis
• Chronic asthma
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Interstitial lung disease
• Alpha I antitrypsin deficiency
• Lung surgery
• Lung transplant

What You Can Expect:

• An in-depth orientation and nursing assessment to further evaluate your health history and current health status.
• A six-minute walk test to evaluate your capacity for safe exercise.
• A discussion of your personal goals to develop an individualized action plan for achieving these goals.
• Supervised therapy sessions structured so that you exercise in groups and have oxygen levels and vital signs monitored.
• Therapy sessions scheduled 2-3 times each week in the outpatient Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation center-main campus.  The length of your program is based on your individual needs and your doctor's recommendations.
• An education program to help you gain a better understanding of lung disease.  This may include:
  • Learning to breathe easier and prevent panic attacks
  • Managing bronchial hygiene and learning infection prevention
  • Identifying energy conservation strategies to perform daily functions with greater ease
  • Understanding respiratory medications
  • Learning healthy nutrition choices for lung disease
  • Establishing strategies to manage lung disease and decrease your risk for complications

Benefits of Pulmonary Rehabilitation:

• Break the cycle of inactivity so often associated with lung disease.
• Be more active with less shortness of breath.
• Increase stamina and strength.
• Gain a greater awareness of symptoms and how to manage those symptoms.
• Exercise in a supportive environment, which encourages camaraderie with other people going through similar experiences.
• Improve feelings of wellbeing and enhance quality of life.

How Can You Enroll:
Talk to your physician about enrolling in Phase II Pulmonary Rehabilitation.  The first step for entrance into the program is a referral by your primary care physician or pulmonologist.  Eligibility for the program is determined by the results of certain tests, including:

• Pulmonary function test
• Chest X-ray
• Electrocardiogram

Insurance:
We recommend that you contact your insurance carrier in advance to determine your eligibility and coverage.  Our professional staff is available to help you through the process.

Questions?
For questions or more information, please call the Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Department at (908) 788-6371

Phase III Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation

What is Phase III Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation?
This is a supervised maintenance program which is designed to provide an individualized program if you:

• Recently completed a Phase II rehabilitation program (Cardiac or Pulmonary).
• Were referred for cardiac risk factor management (i.e. high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sedentary lifestyle, diabetes).
• Desire to exercise regularly in a safe environment with continued supervision by specially trained registered nurses and certified exercise physiologist.
• Seek an environment to support your commitment to making healthier, life-long choices for sustained benefits.

Locations:

Main Campus of Hunterdon Medical Center
2nd floor of Hunterdon Medical Center
2100 Wescott Drive
Flemington, NJ 08822
(908) 788-6371
(908) 788-6162 (fax) 

• Offered Tuesdays and Thursdays
• 7 am - 6 pm, by appointment
• Alternative days available on Monday, Wednesday, Friday upon request

Satellite at Health & Wellness Center at Whitehouse
1st floor Wellness Center Facility
Rt. 22, Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889
(908) 534-7600 prompt #3
(908)534-0759 (fax)

• Offered Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
• 7:30 am – noon, by appointment

Satellite at Health & Wellness Center at Clinton
1st floor Wellness Center Facility
Suite 104
Rt. 31 Clinton, NJ
(908) 735-3955
(908) 735-3956 (fax)

• Offered: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
• 4 pm to 7 pm, by appointment

How Can You Enroll:

• A physician’s referral is required to enroll in the program.
• Phase III is typically NOT covered by insurance companies.

Education and screening programs

Educational sessions are integrated into the overall program to help you gain a better understanding of your condition and promote healthier lifestyle habits. Family members are encouraged to attend.

Educational topics include:

• The benefits of safe and effective exercise
• Lifestyle modification of your risk factors
• Improving your nutrition (each participant meets individually with a dietitian to plan an appropriate diet)
• Disease management
• Stress management and relaxation techniques
• How cardiac medications work
• Coping with your emotions about your disease

Cardiologists also provide ongoing care for patients with coronary artery disease; hypertension; lipid disorders and congestive heart failure, as well as patients who have had coronary surgical by-pass.

For more information about any of the cardiovascular programs, call the Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Department at 908-788-6371 or request a brochure about cardiac programs.