LEWISTON – St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center has been awarded certification for its cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation program by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.

Certification recognizes those programs rigorously reviewed by a national board and found to meet the outlined essential requirements for standards of care.

The AACVPR is a national, multi-disciplinary association dedicated to the improvement of clinical practice, promotion of scientific inquiry, and advancement of education for the benefit of cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation professionals and the patients they serve.

This is the first time the programs have been awarded certification.

The cardiac rehabilitation program is designed to limit the physiological and psychological effects of cardiac illness; reduce the risk for sudden death or relapse; control cardiac symptoms; stabilize and/or improve the patient’s condition; and enhance the patient’s quality of life.

The pulmonary rehabilitation program involves a multidimensional continuum of services by interdisciplinary specialists, directed to people with pulmonary disease and their families.

The goal of this team is to achieve and maintain the individual’s maximum level of independence and functioning.