HERMISTON, Ore.-Good Shepherd Health Care System Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation celebrated patients who have reached milestones in their rehab journeys this month.
Good Shepherd Administration, staff, the cardiopulmonary rehab team, patients and family members attended the event, where patients in the Cardiac Warriors program were honored with shirts commemorating the number of visits they’ve made to the rehab center.
“Cardiac Warriors saved my life,” said Jim Clark, who has over 1,700 visits. “I want everyone to know about this program.”
Cardiac Warrior Program
The rehabilitation program started in 2011 for patients with cardiovascular issues related to heart attacks, bypass surgery, pulmonary problems, respiratory issues, lung disease, and more.
“I’d been thinking about it and looking around at other programs, and key parts were always missing,” said Tony Garberg, RRT Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Program Department Manager at GSHCS. “We hoped this would be a great resource for Hermiston.”
Good Shepherd’s program is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) and includes exercise, education, counseling, and support for patients and their families.
During intake, a patient’s history is considered, and a six-minute walk test is administered to determine the patient’s stamina and abilities, to establish a baseline.
“What we tried and what Cardiac Warriors has become is the most personalized rehab program I’ve ever seen,” said Garberg.
A program is built for each patient, with resistance, balance and time on equipment added as they improve. Classes are held four times a day, with cardiovascular rehab on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and pulmonary on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“We’re creating something that isn’t seen every day, in every program,” said Garberg. “We realized the camaraderie was meaningful. Patients here can rehab with patients like them; they can get better with patients like them.”
Patient progress is tracked and measured, and a patient’s doctor gets a report to evaluate their progress every 30 days.
“We love being a part of our patient’s journey,” said Paula Hagel, BS, CEP, Assistant Manager of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation. “We see their progress, from being unsure of what they can do to having their quality of life back, it’s priceless and wonderful to see.”
Celebrating Cardiac Warriors
Cardiac Warriors were presented with red shirts with the number of visits they’ve made to rehab, commemorating personal milestones, as they celebrated the camaraderie and family-like atmosphere of the program.
“I never thought I’d see a program where patients wanted to come, and where they keep coming for years,” said Garberg. “This is the most personalized program I’ve ever seen; it’s truly a great place to work and it’s great for our patients.”
Jim Clark needed a heart transplant about ten years ago and started the Cardiac Warriors program to lose some weight before the operation.
“After the program, I went back to Portland and was told that my heart had strengthened and the transplant was put off for six months,” said Clark, proudly wearing his red Cardiac Warriors T-shirt commemorating his 1,700 plus visits.
“Then it was put off for 18-months, now I come to Cardiac Warriors five times a week and I no longer need a transplant or a heart pump,” said Clark. “Cardiac Warriors added 10 years and hopefully more to my life.”
Phil Hector celebrated 1,000 visits to cardiopulmonary rehab at the event. Having suffered a heart attack and with a family history of early death, he credits the Cardiac Warrior program with enabling him to live longer.
“Medical technology has come so far now, and I’m here because the cardiac warrior program has allowed me to enjoy the life that these medical devices have given me,” said Hector, who started coming to Cardiac Warriors about seven years ago. “I don’t think I’d be here without it.”
For many patients, Cardiac Warriors is now a part of life, and the staff are like family.
“When I started, I was very weak and could hardly do anything,” said Linda Cummings, who started coming after a heart attack 11 or 12 years ago, and was celebrated for over 800 visits. “The staff kept pushing, and little by little, I could do more and felt better, so I continued to come.”
Cardiac Warriors is also a valuable part of Vicki Wilson’s life, with over 520 visits since 2016.
“The program is very positive, and the staff are wonderful,” said Wilson. “It’s a priority in my life now to stay fit and healthy.”
Good Shepherd Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation staff
“The staff are superstars who really care about people here,” said Clark. “They’re the best around.”
For Garberg’s cardiopulmonary rehab team, which consists of six highly-trained and certified staff members, the feeling of family that the patients have toward them is mutual.
“It’s so nice to see patients from the beginning to the end,” said Respiratory Therapist Tia Gentner. “To see them better themselves through the Cardiac Warrior Program, they become family in a way.”
The Good Shepherd Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Center is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. More information on the center and its services is available online or by calling 541.667.3687.
I thank God every day that my Dr referred me to this awesome program. Paula, Tammy, Tia, Heidi, Tony and Tom helped me to go from being so weak I could barely do 15 minutes of exercising to now exercising an hour to 90 minutes of exercise at a local gym now. I was able to meet new friends there like Shirley, Anna and April who all encouraged me to press on and achieve more new goals.
I am also able to work a full time position for a local security company and still put in a workout every other day. Thank you Good Shepherd Cardiac Rehab Team for helping me achieve the goals of being healthier, working again and enjoying life once again after my bypass surgery in 2019. God’s blessings on each of you and every patient who comes to Cardiac Rehab at Good Shepherd!!