Under physician supervision, the Cardiac Rehabilitation program combines exercise and education to restore strength and create a healthier lifestyle for patients following a heart attack or coronary intervention.
 The program is one of the most progressive available, combining the skills of nutritionists, exercise therapists, nurses, cardiologists and primary care physicians to help patients understand coronary artery disease and its effect on their lives.
What will I learn? The program goal is helping participants in preventing another cardiac event, and over several weeks patients learn about risk factors, nutrition and stress management. Each participant receives a supervised, individualized exercise program, and smoking cessation support is also available.
Who can participate? The program is open to any patient diagnosed with coronary artery disease—those who’ve experienced bypass surgery, angioplasty or myocardial infarction (heart attack), but also patients recovering from valve surgery. To support long-term exercise and compliance with heart-healthy lifestyle guidelines, “graduates” who desire may be referred to a cardiopulmonary fitness group designed for those who have completed a cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation program at their local Old Colony YMCA.
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Program History
Cardiac Rehab has been a focus of Brockton Hospital since 1977, when it was partnered with an Old Colony YMCA program, one of the first in the country (second in Massachusetts, after the Cambridge YMCA program). Dr. Burton Polansky is one of the pioneers of the field, and for more than forty years has practiced medicine at Brockton Hospital.
The Cardiac Rehab program operates in the Signature Healthcare facility at 130 Quincy Avenue, Brockton. For more information, call (508) 941-7558.
"I could not have asked for more support from the staff. I learned more about medication, exercise, and diet than ever before. I also learned of the effect of each on my health. It was a very positive learning and exercise program. I would recommend this program to others without hesitation."
--Recent Patient, Age 55.
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