Rancho Los Amigos Cardiac Rehabilitation Program

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

Cardiac rehabilitation is a multidisciplinary approach to optimize the health and well-being of patients after heart attacks, stents, or open-heart surgeries. Cardiac rehabilitation helps patients improve exercise capacity and quality of life. Clinical studies show that cardiac rehabilitation reduces mortality rates by 34% and hospital readmissions by 25%. The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) is a safety-net system to care for the underserved population of this large and diverse county. Previously, DHS patients had no place to go for cardiac rehabilitation. In April of 2019, Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center formally launched its cardiac rehabilitation program. Rancho’s cardiac rehabilitation program has helped numerous DHS patients, many of whom are essential workers, to regain functional capacity after their heart attacks or heart surgeries and return to work. Because of Rancho’s excellence in many other areas of rehabilitation including stroke and amputation, Rancho’s cardiac rehabilitation is unique in its inclusion of patients with multiple conditions and disabilities. As it met rigorous standards, Rancho’s cardiac rehabilitation program received certification by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) in 2022.