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Miami, FL – To help improve the overall health of people with chronic respiratory problems, Jackson Memorial Hospital has opened a pulmonary rehabilitation program. The monitored exercise program will be available to outpatients who are awaiting lung transplants, as well as those with respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, cystic fibrosis and emphysema.
“Pulmonary rehabilitation programs have been well proven to increase exercise tolerance, enhance independent living, improve quality of life, and, in some cases, increase survival,” said Debra P. Fertel, M.D., medical director of pulmonology at Jackson Memorial Hospital. “The goal is to return patients to their highest possible functional capacity. Having this program at Jackson Memorial Hospital gives us one more tool to provide high-quality, comprehensive care to patients with advanced lung disease.”
Outpatients in this new program, which officially began November 1, work out in a gym environment at Jackson Memorial Hospital, under the close guidance and supervision of nurses and physical therapists trained in pulmonary rehabilitation. The physical activity will help these patients slowly build up their endurance, breathe better and improve their quality of life. For those on the lung transplant waiting list, the rehabilitation program is required to condition and prepare their bodies for the stress of the transplant.
Participants will also experience additional benefits, including less shortness of breath, reduced anxiety and depression, improved ability to perform daily activities, increased exercise performed and fewer hospitalizations. In addition to exercise, the program may include nutritional guidance, smoking cessation and psychological counseling dependent on the patient’s individual needs.
The pulmonary rehabilitation program will be offered three times a week to eligible outpatients at Jackson Memorial Hospital. For more information on this program, call 305-585-6990.
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