Your recovery only begins with treatment or surgery. They way you live after you go home is critical to regaining your health and vitality - and reducing your risk of another heart incident.
To get the fullest possible recovery, many patients will benefit from cardiac rehabilitation, a supervised program to help you feel better faster, get stronger, reduce stress, improve the quality of life, and reduce your risks of future heart problems.
Heart Path is Mission's state and nationally certified cardiac rehabilitation program. In this medically supervised program, our staff members tailor a safe, supervised program just for you, giving you a leading role in your own healthcare. It also offers Pulmonary Rehabilitation for people with lung disease and transplant patients.
In the Hospital 
Heart Path begins while you are still a patient with In-patient Cardiac Rehabilitation. You and your family learn to reduce, eliminate, or deal with your own risks for heart disease. You are taught what to do - and what to avoid - when you go home. Most important, you learn the need to make a lifelong commitment to living in a way that's healthy for you, and for your heart.
Heart Path in the hospital is staffed by experienced cardiac nurses and an exercise physiologist.
Once You Go Home
Your doctor may refer you to Out-patient Heart Path. The initial outpatient program is three days a week, usually for 12 weeks. Exercise - under supervision- is an important component. Heart Path also offers education on topics such as exercise, stress, medications and smoking cessation.
In addition, you will receive a personal assessment and counseling to help develop your care plan. This may include exercise, nutritional counseling, planning for return to employment and the things you enjoy. You will also talk with a counselor about concerns which affect many heart patients, including depression, anger, and quality of life.
When You "Graduate"
After you complete Heart Path, you may choose to attend the Heart Path Maintenance Program, join a local gym, or exercise at home. Many Heart Path members become friends and get together to exercise.
The American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation website is a great resource for information on cardiac rehabilitation.
Contact Us
E-mail us at Mary.Richard@msj.org or call 828-213-7000.
