AACVPR News & Views - March/April 2017 - 14

FROM SPONSOR >> MOVING ANALYTICS

New Approach Breaks Barriers
to Cardiac Rehab
Maryann Classick-Wallace, RN, BSN, Director, Cardiac Rehab
To learn more, call 1-888-LOURDES (1-888-568-7337) or visit www.lourdesnet.org.

L

ike thousands of
Americans last
year, David Bye had
surgery to correct
severe narrowing of
a heart valve that hampered his
ability to mow the lawn or walk
across the parking lot without
becoming short of breath. Bye's
doctors recommended cardiac
rehabilitation to strengthen his
heart and improve his overall
health. Normally, people enrolled
in cardiac rehab come regularly
to an outpatient center for eight
to 10 weeks. But transportation,
work schedules and affordability
stop many individuals from
completing the program or
participating at all. Fewer than half
of heart attack patients referred
to cardiac rehab ever enroll.
Lourdes is taking a new approach
using a mobile app by Moving
Analytics. Patients use the app
to report their exercise data, with
fewer trips for in-person therapy.
"[Mobile Health] Cardiac rehab is
a comprehensive program that
not only helps patients physically
recover from a heart event, but
also teaches individuals the skills
needed to make healthy lifestyle
changes, improve quality of life
and reduce risk for a future heart
event," said Maryann Classick14

News&Views MARCH/APRIL 2017

Wallace, RN, BSN, director of
Noninvasive Cardiology and
Cardiac Rehab at Lourdes. "We
are excited to offer patients this
new model as a more convenient
way to complete cardiac rehab -
potentially preventing hospital
readmission and ultimately helping
improve their overall health." The
app, called Movn, guides patients
through an individualized care
plan. A web-based portal enables
staff to track an individual's
progress, communicate with
patients and administer care
plans. After a few initial education
and exercise appointments,
patients come to LourdesCare at
Cherry Hill only once a week -
versus three times a week for
traditional cardiac rehab. It is easy
to participate. Patients need a
scale, blood pressure cuff, fitness
tracker and smartphone or tablet.
The program can lend the items if
needed. To exercise, patients can
use their own home or gym fitness
equipment, or just take brisk
walks around the neighborhood.
They use the app to enter
exercise, exertion level, weight
and blood pressure data; watch
health videos; and ask questions
about their medication. The app
builds activity into the day. If the
user is sitting for too long, it will

remind him or her to move. If the
user is regularly active, he or she
is congratulated. Lourdes care
providers can see trends, identify
at-risk patients and track longterm progress as patients evolve
through the program. "We are
alerted if anything is out of our set
parameters for a particular patient,
such as weight or blood pressure.
The patient can even report if he
or she is experiencing any signs
or symptoms to the nurse through
the app," said Classick-Wallace.
For Bye, the program offers
convenience and peace of mind.
"I normally can't be bothered with
new technology," he said. "But
the app is very user-friendly. It
motivates me to meet my step
goals, and I like being monitored,
so I know if I'm overdoing it or not
doing enough." 

Courtesy Lourdes Health System,
HeartTalk Winter 2017
Moving Analytics is a proud platinum
supporter of AACVPR.

We help hospitals design and implement
hybrid and virtual cardiac rehab programs to
improve patient's access, outcomes and slow
the progression of heart disease. To learn
more please visit www.movinganalytics.com.
http://www.lourdesnet.org http://www.movinganalytics.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AACVPR News & Views - March/April 2017
