Let Us Help You Breathe a Little Easier

The WMHS Respiratory Care Services offers the Pedder Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program for individuals who have chronic respiratory impairments. This program combines education sessions with physical conditioning exercises and breathing retraining to help maximize physical strength and tolerance to exercise. The program is led by a physician who specializes in pulmonary medicine and conducted by a respiratory care practitioner who is specially trained in Pulmonary Rehabilitation.

The program includes a 12-week course with one-hour session usually held twice weekly at Memorial Hospital. Topics covered in the program include:

• Anatomy and physiology of the lungs
• Information about the disease process
• Medications, including proper technique and care of respiratory equipment
• Breathing retraining
• Coughing techniques/infection control
• Shortness of breath positions
• Learning how to live with a breathing problem/coping mechanisms
• Task simplification and energy conservation
• Risk factors
• Physical conditioning exercises

Additional services available include:

• Nutritional management
• Counseling

Pulmonary Rehabilitation can be beneficial for patients who have respiratory problems, such as

• Chronic respiratory impairment
• Occupational lung disorders
• Respiratory difficulties occurring from surgery or trauma

A physician's referral is necessary; so please talk with your physician about how this program may be helpful for you.

Our pulmonary rehabilitation has been designed to

• Provide educational and conditioning sessions designed to assist you in adapting to your condition on a daily basis and enabling you to manage symptoms as they occur
• Help to reduce your need for hospitalization
• Enhance your quality of life
• Provide access to helpful information for you, your spouse and interested family members

Pulmonary rehabilitation services are generally covered by insurance providers, Medicare and Medical Assistance. Additional charges for specific tests and treatments during the program are submitted to the insurance providers.