To participate in the program, patients must have experienced a qualifying heart condition, including stable angina, heart attack within the last 12 months, coronary artery bypass surgery, heart valve repair or replacement, coronary angioplasty or stent placement, heart transplant or heart/lung transplant and chronic heart failure.
The program’s comprehensive, lifestyle-change curriculum is based on three pillars: safe, effective regular exercise, heart-healthy nutrition and a healthy mindset that fosters healthy behaviors. This programming is one aspect that differentiates ICR from conventional cardiac rehabilitation. Additionally, the program includes 72 sessions – 36 exercise and 36 educational – as opposed to the 36 maximum sessions of traditional cardiac rehabilitation. The goal is to provide patients with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed both during rehabilitation and long after.
Markus Melvin, the program manager for cardiovascular and pulmonary rehab, detailed a typical day for participants. “Patients come three days a week and do about an hour of exercise followed by an hour of education. Every patient has a guidebook with exercise tips, recipes and other information that they bring with them to each session” he explained. “It’s like they’re in school. They take notes and ask questions.” Overall, he said, patients enjoy the experience and are engaged in the curriculum. “We teach them about medications, exercise, balance training, healthy mindset like communication skills and setting goals, tobacco cessation – it’s great to see that lightbulb switch on when they get it.”
The resounding patient feedback to this approach has been positive. Robin Joyner joined the program after having a series of heart attacks, a defibrillator placement and recovery after an infection. “They suggested I do ICR, and I said any type of therapy to get my heart strong again was okay with me,” she said. “It gets me out of the house, I can socialize and I work out.” James Moseley, who found ICR after having open heart surgery four months ago, agreed. “They are making my heart work,” he said. “They’re giving me a second chance. I enjoy going.”
One of the favorite parts of the program happens on Wednesdays when the staff dietitian prepares heart-healthy meals the patients can then eat. “I love it,” Robin shared. “One day she made an apple turnover with fajita bread, and another day she made white bean chili. Her food has taste to it.” While he didn’t always like the recipes the dietitian made, James said the experience helped him to be a more mindful eater. “The cooking makes you think about what you can and can’t do, and I think about everything I eat now,” he said. “That’s a blessing.”
Another benefit for patients is the ability to socialize and connect with others going through a similar experience. Markus said it was common for patients to talk with each other and share their knowledge and background. “You see that camaraderie in class, and they make friends,” he said. “They discuss their personal events and someone says, ‘Oh, I went through something similar.’ They teach each other things and it makes the classes fun.” Robin agreed: “We all get together and talk,” she said. “We all share what happened to us. Everyone is nice to each other and it’s a happy place.”
Of course, a centerpiece of the program is the exercise, which Robin admitted was intense. “Markus doesn’t play,” she laughed. “He’s so nice and kind, and he makes it fun, but he never lets us take the easy way out.” Markus called attention to the tailored exercise plans for each patient, as well as the careful monitoring they undergo during each visit. “We’re the touch points between doctor visits for these patients, so we can spot things that are happening with regards to medications or new signs or symptoms,” he said. “And we help the patients learn exercises and how to progress them, whether they have never exercised in their life or used to exercise in the past.”
Robin and James agreed that it was beneficial to have this program close by, so they don’t have to travel long distances to attend. “I was previously in regular cardiac rehabilitation in Rocky Mount,” Robin said, noting the challenges of an increased travel time. James said he wouldn’t have been able to participate had the program been in Greenville. “The main thing I hear about this program is that it’s local,” Markus said. “It’s the first rehab program in the area for quite some time, so the fact that it’s within a short drive is a big selling point,” he said. And clearly, the program is in demand. “We started with three patients and now have 20, and we do have a waitlist because we have more and more patients being referred to us,” Markus said. “There’s definitely a need for it here, and it shows an increased awareness of the importance of cardiac health.”
Robin and James are approaching their graduation date, at which time a new cohort will be ushered in. They both emphatically agreed that ICR is beneficial and worth the time. “I am feeling pretty good now,” James said. “I was walking slowly at first, but I’ve gone up on speed and incline on the treadmill and the bike. I think about my kids, my grandkids and my girlfriend and I want to be here for them. The doctors did their part, and now we have to do ours.” Robin said that while she exercised daily prior to this program – and still walks regularly now – she feels a lot better for having participated in ICR. “I have more energy when I go to class, and I can’t wait to go again. Everyone with a heart problem should have therapy because it really does work, and with this group, you’re dealing with the best.”
To learn more about the ECU Health – Roanoke Rapids ICR program, visit ECUHealth.org.
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