Ashtabula County Medical Center | ACMC Pulse | Winter 2019

10 ACMC Pulse  • acmchealth.org Heart health blood oxygen level and more. They appreciate the one-on- one attention they receive from trained caregivers, as well as the friendship and camaraderie they develop with fellow patients. “I pass by three places to come here,” said Tom Brown, a patient who has been coming to ACMC for two years. “Do you know the difference in those places and here? They have the equipment, but ACMC has these two people right behind this desk. They are why I come here.” The two “behind the desk” are Karen Yendriga, RN, and Manuela Mosier, RN, who oversee a patient’s exercises and health checks while they are in the rehabilitation center. Yendriga said they look forward to seeing the patients each week. “The initial program may be just a few weeks, but the majority of our patients continue coming here for monitored exercise for years,” she said. Brown said he has peace of mind knowing that Yendriga and Mosier are watching out for him and the other patients. “They know me, and they know if I’m having a good day or a bad day. I appreciate that they care about me. They are the best.” A much-needed makeover With such frequent use, the Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Center was in need of renovation. Earlier this year, the ACMC Volunteer Auxiliary approved spending more than $100,000 for THERE IS A CORE GROUP OF PATIENTS who look forward to going to the hospital two-to- three times a week. Each month, approximately 150 patients come to Ashtabula County Medical Center’s Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Center for clinically supervised exercise to assist in recovery from heart or chronic lung problems. Cardiac rehabilitation patients complete two phases of physician-directed exercise and education three times per week. Once this is complete, they may opt for a third phase of continued exercise two days per week. Pulmonary rehabilitation patients receive a custom 10-week exercise program and meet with registered nurses, respiratory therapists, dieticians and other healthcare professionals who teach them how to manage their chronic lung problems. One-on-one attention Patients move through their exercise routine, stopping between each exercise to let a registered nurse check their heart rate, blood pressure, Patients heartily approve of the Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Center’s recent renovation They know me, and they know if I’m having a good day or a bad day. I appreciate that they care about me. They are the best. —Tom Brown, a patient who experiences the ACMC difference GETTING HEALTHY HAPPY