Heart & Vascular Institute

Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation

What is Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation?
Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation is a medically monitored exercise program designed for those who have had a recent heart illness or surgery / procedure. This program mixes regular physical exercise with risk factor modification in order to help with recovery and strengthen your body.

Risk factors are those things that put you at high risk for having another cardiac event. For example, high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, and being overweight are all examples. It is important in this stage of rehab to control those risk factors that can be controlled. This plays a major role in the health of your heart and body.

You will be assigned a rehab therapist who will work with you the entire time you attend rehab. These therapists get to know you very well and have a role in educating you about maximizing heart health. If you have any symptoms or problems in rehab, your therapist is there to support you and advocate for your well being. They will act as a liaison between you and your physicians, should you encounter any problems in your recovery phase.

You will also receive education from a dietician in order to help with adherence to a low fat, low cholesterol, and low sodium diet. For many people, this is extremely difficult! If you have never had heart problems before, your cardiac event may have been completely unanticipated and surprising. Rehab gives you the emotional support to deal with this new change of events. It helps to empower you in taking an active role in your health. Everyone in your class is a heart patient and most of these people have experienced frustration, anger, and anxiety resulting from their new diagnosis. Your rehab class is a supportive setting in which to deal with these problems.

This phase of the program is geared toward making lifestyle changes and modifying behaviors, which may have played a large role in developing heart disease. Education and medical monitoring can help to realize problems and also can help to improve your confidence and emotional well being.

When will I have Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation?
Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation will usually begin anywhere between 1 and 4 weeks after being discharged from the hospital. Those who have had heart attacks, angina, angioplasty, and stenting usually begin rehab within 1 week. Those who have had open heart surgeries generally start anywhere between 1 and 4 weeks after discharge from the hospital.

Where will I have Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation?
There are several rehab facilities located in West Michigan for you to choose from. If you attend Mercy Health Partners for your hospitalization, your Phase I Therapist will discuss options for cardiac rehab with you while you are in the hospital. You will usually want to be set up close to home. Your therapist will set you up for an initial assessment or consultation with a member from the facility you wish to attend. If you do not have a Phase I Therapist in the hospital, you will be given instructions for calling a rehab facility of your choice to set up this next phase.

Who is eligible?
Anyone who has completed Phase I Cardiac Rehab is usually eligible for Phase II Cardiac Rehab. However, insurance dictates whether this phase of rehab will be covered based on your diagnosis.

What do I have to do to get started?
Either your Phase I therapist will set you up for an initial appointment, or you can call us at (231) 739-3648. We will need a referral from your cardiologist or surgeon, and we will also need to obtain a prescription from your primary care doctor to approve rehab.

Who will be my rehab therapists?
At Mercy Health Partners, you will work consistently with a therapist. This therapist will either be a registered nurse or an exercise physiologist specially trained in cardiac rehab. They will also be certified in advanced cardiac life support. Your therapist is trained in the response of the heart to exercise and understand the process of heart disease very well. Your therapist is a valuable resource at the H.E.A.R.T. Center. They are able to give you education and input on how to best care for yourself after your heart illness. They can also anticipate problems and are alert to symptoms indicating heart difficulties.

How am I monitored?
Your Phase II Cardiac Rehab Therapist will monitor your heart rhythm, heart rate, blood pressure, and weight each day you attend. If you have any signs or symptoms of impending difficulties or heart problems, they will assist you in obtaining the appropriate care. If your therapist is concerned about your uncontrolled blood pressure, for example, they will discuss this with your doctor and help you to reach a controlled blood pressure range.

How is this Program covered?
This program may be covered by your insurance company. Since all insurance plans and companies differ, you should contact your company to determine your eligibility for the program. If you are covered, your insurance company may still require that you pay a co pay or coinsurance for each visit you attend. As the patient, you can call your company and determine this on your own. Your rehab therapist is not responsible for obtaining your benefit summary. If your insurance company requires authorization, your therapist will request rehab visits from your primary care doctor. Your doctor’s office will then complete an application to your insurance company to try to authorize these visits. Your therapist does not always know what you have been authorized for. IT is up to you to determine this information.

At MHP, your insurance companies will be billed monthly, and any remaining balance will be sent to you after this. Authorization should be done through your primary doctor’s office. If you have questions regarding the status of the authorization, please call your doctor and speak to the individual who works with referrals.

Do not be discouraged if your insurance company does not cover Phase II Cardiac Rehab. Other options can be discussed and are available to you.

When is Phase II Cardiac rehab offered? How long does it last?
At Mercy HEART Center, we hold rehab classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. As a participant, it is required to attend 3 days a week in order to obtain insurance coverage and improvement in your cardiac status.

Classes are held at 7:00 AM, 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 3:00 PM. Your therapist will set you up in one of these classes based on your schedule. Each class is one hour long. It is required you attend the same class each day of rehab, unless you need to reschedule or change to a different time. Discuss this with your therapist.

If insurance permits, you could be eligible for 36 rehab visits over 90 days. Some insurance companies will authorize less than this. You can also terminate the program at any time.

What is next?
After Phase II Cardiac Rehab, you will most likely be eligible for Phase III Cardiac Rehab. This program is usually not covered by insurance companies, although some will. Please call your insurance to determine if Phase III Cardiac Rehab is a covered benefit for a specified period of time. Phase III is for patients who have successfully completed Phase II and are stable and independent. Those who have risk factors for heart disease (Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, physical inactivity, overweight or obesity, high stress) or those who have known heart disease, but are not candidates for phase II are considered for this program.