Pulmonary Rehab Team Offers a Path to Breathing Better
“I’ve been doing these exercises to help my breathing.”
That was the reason Monte Vista resident Charlie Spielman began working with the Pulmonary Rehab team at San Luis Valley Health several weeks ago. Today, he says he is feeling better.
The Pulmonary Rehab program is a multidisciplinary program designed for patients that have chronic respiratory impairment. The team works to design an individually tailored plan for each patient that optimizes physical and social performance.
“Cardiac Rehab and Pulmonary Rehab are two services that we have developed to address the needs of patients in the Valley,” said Sheridan Moosman, Director of Cardiopulmonary Services. “Cardiac and Pulmonary disease are some of our top diagnosis, and we felt that we could develop rehab programs that would help meet the needs of those patients.”
How It Works
A comprehensive medical evaluation is conducted by the program’s pulmonary rehabilitation team, and then an individualized program is developed based on their findings.
The program consists of 18 to 36 sessions of conditioning and education. Each session will last an hour and a half. The program is covered by most major insurance companies, including Medicare. The program has several disciplines intertwined in it, including diet, nutrition, and weight management.
If you are a sufferer of persistent asthma, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, or another respiratory condition listed in the Pulmonary Rehab brochure, talk with your physician to see if you would be a good candidate for the program.
The Benefits
There are many benefits to participating in the Pulmonary Rehab program. Some of the benefits that patients have seen include reduced respiratory symptoms, increased knowledge about pulmonary disease and its management, and improved health related quality of life.
“The programs are constantly growing and developing,” said Moosman. “We feel that we are meeting the needs of patients by offering these services and helping them improve their quality of life.”
For more information on the program, view the Pulmonary Rehab Brochure or call (719) 587-6391.