Just two years after launching a Pulmonary Rehab program at Everett Hospital, CHA has earned accreditation from the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) for this service.

The accreditation indicates that CHA follows the most advanced practices and offers excellent patient care.

"Every program aspires to this level," states Shamima Mather, BHSc, RRT, Pulmonary Rehabilitation Clinical Coordinator. "This three-year accreditation is important external validation that we are meeting national standards of care."

The 12-week pulmonary rehabilitation program helps adults with chronic lung conditions - COPD, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma and pulmonary fibrosis. It helps them manage their breathing to be healthier and more active so they can recover faster and improve their quality of life. Patients receive a full health evaluation, exercise, education, counseling and other support.

"We always intended to apply for accreditation," states Mather, "but it is a lengthy process. Programs must be operating for a full year before they can apply. We were required to submit substantial data as well as documentation of policies and procedures, staff competencies and progress reports."

AACVPR certification is the only peer-review accreditation process to ensure adherence to standards developed by AACVPR and other professional societies. Each program is reviewed by the AACVPR program certification committee and certification is awarded by the AACVPR board of directors.

Special thanks to the entire CHA accreditation team: Shamima Mather; Pam Brown, Director Pulmonary Services; Alexander White, MD, Chief of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine; Kathy Murphy, Senior Director, Medicine; and George Sam, Exercise Physiologist (formerly at CHA).