St. V reopens outpatient cardiac, pulmonary rehab services after five months

WORCESTER — St. Vincent Hospital is reopening outpatient cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation services after a five-month closure during the nurses' strike.

"Our cardiac rehab and pulmonary rehab programs are instrumental in improving quality of life for many of our patients, and we are thrilled to be able to reopen them," St. Vincent Chief Executive Officer Carolyn Jackson said in a statement. "The reopening of these services is a starting point, and we look forward to opening more services as we move back towards normal operations."

Cardiac rehabilitation is a 12-week program to help patients recover after a heart attack or heart procedure. Cardiovascular rehab specialists offer education, supervised physical activity and counseling to patients, the hospital said in its statement.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a seven- to 10-week outpatient program to help patients return to daily activities, often following a recent hospitalization related to a respiratory condition, the hospital said. Patients receive education, respiratory medication, stress management, nutrition counseling and monitored exercise sessions.

The hospital closed the programs in August citing the nurses' strike.

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