Cardiac Rehabilitation
To access this program, you need a referral from a family physician. If you do not have a local family physician, please visit Alberta Find a Doctor to search for family physicians accepting new patients.
The Cardiac Rehabilitation program is part of our core Heart Health services, and is offered to individuals who have had a cardiac event (e.g. heart attack, bypass surgery, angina, angioplasty, etc.). Patients will visit with a registered nurse and an exercise specialist who will work with them to develop a plan for their recovery. The Wood Buffalo PCN offers a 12-week supervised exercise component as part of the rehabilitation program to improve cardiovascular health and fitness (this typically includes structured walking exercises).
Cardiac Rehabilitation is considered the gold standard of care following a significant cardiac event.
Patients also have access to the rest of the WB PCN Interdisciplinary Clinical Team (pharmacists, nurses, registered dietitians, mental health therapists, respiratory therapists, etc.) who can monitor their progress and contribute supplementary care tailored to their individual needs.
If you have been hospitalized in Fort McMurray as a result of a cardiac event, your referral will be facilitated in-hospital by the PCN Cardiac Navigator Nurse. Other referrals must be made by a family physician. If you have had a cardiac event in the past and would like to participate in the WB PCN Cardiac Rehabilitation program, ask your doctor for a referral.
If you’d like to learn more about Cardiac Rehabilitation, and how it can benefit those recovering from heart conditions, we recommend that you watch this video from the Mayo Clinic’s Cardiovascular Health department. Dr. Randal Thomas explains how research they conducted found that participants of Cardiac Rehabilitation have a 45% lower mortality rate than those who decide not to participate. Cardiac Rehabilitation is not only a fantastic intervention in terms of prevention, but also in terms of quality of life.