Cardiac Rehabilitation

Cardiac Rehabilitation at OSF St. Mary Medical Center is a nationally accredited program through the American Association of Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). In 2006 AACVPR recognized this program as a "Best Practice" in the field of Cardiac Rehabilitation. The program is located in the Health and Rehabilitation Center where 19,000 square feet is devoted to the physical, educational, lifestyle, and psychological needs of the cardiac patient.

Staff

The staff which includes specially trained cardiac nurses and nationally certified exercise specialists will individually design a program for you that is both safe and effective for patients with heart disease. All staff is required to maintain Advanced Life Support credentials to work in the unit.

Program

The physician referred program will start one to three weeks after hospital discharge, and will last 8 to 12 weeks based on the individual progress of the patient. The EKG monitored program is commonly known as Phase II cardiac rehab and is covered by medicare and other insurance carriers. The patient must have the following conditions or diagnosis for coverage during the last 12 months:

• Recent Heart Attack
• Heart Surgery: Coronary By-Pass and heart valve replacement
• Angioplasty and stent placement.
• Heart transplantation

Spouse

At very low nominal cost the patients spouse can also take advantage of the program. An exercise program is available for them to get in shape and be with their spouse during this phase of the rehabilitation process.

Long Term

When the monitored Phase II portion has been completed the patient can maintain their health benefits by participating in the Phase III rehab program. The program is designed and priced for long term lifestyle adherence.

Contact Information

OSF St. Mary Medical Center
Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
3333 North Seminary St.
Galesburg, Ill. 61401
Phone: 309.344.9662

Give us a call, or stop in for a tour of the facility and a consultation with one of the staff members.

Cardiology Testing

Cardiac Catheterization
For more information on cardiac catheterization, please click here.

Stress Testing
Your doctor may order a stress test to help diagnose the cause of your chest pain, evaluate the efficacy of heart procedures, or medications. They may want to look for abnormal heart rhythms or determine the level of exercise that is right for you.

If you are able to walk, the stress test will generally be done on a treadmill. You will be hooked up to an EKG machine that will record your tracing during the entire test. Your blood pressure will be monitored as well as your signs and symptoms of heart disease will be recorded and evaluated.

Nuclear Medicine
During the stress test a very small and harmless amount of radioactive substance can be injected into the patient. Then the doctor uses a special camera to identify the rays emitted from the substance within the body. This produces clear pictures of the heart tissue while lying on a table and then while exercising on a treadmill. You will exercise until your heart rate increases to a level that the supervising doctor feels is adequate for the stress test. The resting and stress scans are them compared by the radiologist.
Non-Exercise Stress Test: If you are not able to exercise, a drug can be used to simulate exercise on the heart while you lie on a cart hooked up to the EKG machine. The same type of radioactive substance can be used to produce a clear picture of what is going on with your heart circulation.
Special Instructions: Your doctor and the hospital will give you specific instructions about the test you will have and why. It is our mission to keep you well informed and prepared for the testing you will receive.

Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram is a specialized ultrasound test of the heart. Through the use of the special transducer all of the heart valves and chambers can be evaluated from outside the chest in a non-invasive manner. The test is very useful in the evaluation of heart murmurs, heart wall function, and the determination of size of the heart chambers. In 2009 the Echocardiogram Laboratory was nationally credentialed by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiogram Laboratories (ICAEL). Only 1,000 hospitals or clinics in the United States have this distinction.

Holter Monitoring
A test used to measure the rate, rhythm and type of heartbeat by recording the heart's electrical activity over a 24 hour period. Patches (electrodes) are placed on the skin and wires are connected to them. The wires connect to a small recorder that is carried over the shoulder or around the waist. An individual is asked to keep a diary of activity while wearing the monitor.