During the day-to-day focus of providing personalized care to patients, it can be difficult finding time to stay on top of the latest in the cardiopulmonary industry – not to mention finding the information in the first place. Let us save you some time – we’ve put together 5 cardiopulmonary articles we think are must-reads, giving you new ideas, talking points and inspiration for your work.
American College of Cardiology
Summary | According to new research, patients who used a digital health tool designed for smartphone and web-based access lost four times as much weight as those participating in 12 weeks of cardiac rehab only. The health tool helped provide accountability outside of the rehabilitation setting for eating health and staying active.
Quote to Remember | “It’s an example of how clinical expertise and know-how can be married with IT, which is important especially amid consumers’ rapid uptake of apps. It may be that these patients felt more connected to their care, as if someone had a finger on their pulse, figuratively.”
American Thoracic Society
Summary | Motivational interviewing is a client-centered counseling style that uses a goal-oriented approach for changing a behavior. A new study has concluded that this interview technique may help reduce readmissions for COPD patients.
Quote to Remember | “This coaching style emphasizes autonomy and choice in what the patient wanted to work on. It is a process that happens with a patient; it is not something the coach does to a patient.”
Advisory Board
Summary | While cardiac rehab has proven to be effective, enrollment and attendance rates could see improvement. Validated in various chronic disease states, the Family-Centered Empowerment Model (FCEM) has shown positive results linked to higher family rehab involvement.
Quote to Remember | “For all rehab programs, a critical first step is empowering patients to take charge of their own health. Yet new research suggests empowerment can be facilitated by involving the family as well.”
Adam deJong, MA, FAACVPR
Summary | Cardiac rehab is a proven method to aiding recovery efforts for the more than one million Americans that will experience a cardiac event this year. However, there is still a long way to go in increasing utilization numbers.
Quote to Remember | “It will take a combined effort of patients, physicians, health professionals, industry and professional organizations to improve CR utilization. Recognizing there is a problem is the first step. Moving to action and redefining how CR is referred, provided and reimbursed will be the next step toward improving the lives of people with cardiovascular disease.”
Columbia University Medical Center
Summary | A new study shows that adjusting blood pressure goals for patients at risk for cardiovascular disease to 120mmHg could be linked to reduction in both cardiovascular events and mortality.
Quote to Remember | “Hypertension treatment is cheap and effective, and fear of side effects should not dissuade physicians from treating to lower goals in high-risk individuals under 75 years of age.”
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