LA PLATA, Md. —The University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center (UM CRMC) is proud to announce the three-year certification of its Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR), which recognizes the hospital’s commitment to improving the quality of life of patients by meeting and exceeding national standards of care.
UM CRMC’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program maintains accreditation from the same professional organization, which it received in 2017.
Cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation programs are designed to help people with cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks and coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and pulmonary problems such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, commonly known as COPD, recover faster and lead healthier lives. Both programs include exercise, education, counseling and support for patients and their families.
“Our pulmonary program is a success because our team emphasizes a healthy lung concept and strives to see our patients breathe better and return to the things they enjoy,” said Angela Booker, RRT, Cardiopulmonary Manager. “The team has worked hard to institute best practices and compassionate care into the program.”
This new certification means UM CRMC’s Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program complies with industry regulations and quality measures, follows best practices in the field, and demonstrates good patient outcomes. “The primary goal of our program is to provide a better state of care for Marylanders,” said Brian Loux, EP, MS, Program Coordinator. “This AACVPR certification confirms that patients with cardiovascular, pulmonary and respiratory issues can receive the care and expertise they need.”
The accreditation process required extensive documentation of the program’s practices. AACVPR Program Certification is the only peer-reviewed accreditation process designed to assess individual programs for adherence to standards and guidelines developed and published by professional societies. Each program’s application is reviewed by the AACVPR Program Certification Committee, and certification is awarded by the AACVPR Board of Directors.
In 2018, AACVPR moved to an outcomes-based process with performance measurements that represent more meaningful outcomes. Therefore, AACVPR-certified programs are leaders in the cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation field because they offer the most advanced practices available and have proven track records of high-quality patient care.
About UM Charles Regional Medical Center
UM Charles Regional Medical Center is a member of the University of Maryland Medical System and serves as a regional, not-for-profit, integrated health system serving Charles County and the surrounding areas of Southern Maryland. Our mission is to provide excellent patient care as measured by the population’s health, clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, and cost effectiveness. UM Charles Regional Medical Center will remain the premier place to receive care and the premier place to provide care. For more information, visit www.UMCharlesRegional.org.
About the University of Maryland Medical System
The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.
About AACVPR
Founded in 1985, the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) is a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to the mission of reducing morbidity, mortality, and disability from cardiovascular and pulmonary disease through education, prevention, rehabilitation, research, and disease management. Central to the core mission is improving the quality of life for patients and their families. Learn more about AACVPR at www.AACVPR.org.
