The Next Steps Heart Fair & Cardiac Rehabilitation

Cardiac Rehabilitation is a 16 week comprehensive education and supervised exercise program available at the Reh-Fit Centre or Wellness Institute at Seven Oaks Hospital. It is an integral part of patient centered cardiac care. Patients are encouraged to make positive long-term lifestyle changes while reinforcing prescribed medical and pharmacological therapies. Nurses, physiotherapists, dietiticans, pharmacists, social workers, psychologists, cardiac exercise specialists, among others, are members of the multi-disciplinary team. The majority of program participants are people recovering from a heart attack or cardiac surgery. Financial assistance and other incentives are offered as means to offset direct costs to paitents.

The first several weeks after being discharged home from the hospital may be difficult. The Next Steps Heart Fair was established in December 2006 to provide information and knowledge related to heart health including general information related to managing risk factors, nutrition, activity progression, emotional health, medication management and the importance of cardiac rehabilitation. The primary objective of the Heart Fair is to reinforce the importance of attending a cardiac rehabilitation program to facilitate recovery and prevent further heart events.

The Next Steps Heart Fair is offered to all patients with a diagnosis of heart disease discharged from St. Boniface Hospital, Seven Oaks General Hospital or the Health Sciences Centre. A variety of health care professionals participate in the Heart Fair and written patient education material is available at no charge. The majority of patients who attend the Heart Fair are referred from St. Boniface Hospital. Participants are asked to consider completing a safisfaction questionnaire at the end of each Heart Fair session. For April 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008, a total of 133 questionnaires were completed. Thirty-two percent (42/133) of participants indicated they are considering joining a cardiac rehabilitation program based on the information received at the Heart Fair and 40% (53/133) of participants indicated that the information received at the Heart Fair has definitely influenced their decision to join a cardiac rehabilitation program.

The Heart Fair is an effective stragegy to promote cardiac rehabilitation in this population. Participants have an opportunity to ask questions of health care professionals and receive information regarding other community resources that are appropriate to their individual needs. Last, participants are able to link with the Regional Clinical Nurse Specialist before and after the Heart Fair to answer general questions and to refer participants to other health care professionals in the community.

The Next Steps Heart Fair is held once a month at St. Boniface Hospital Auditorium (Room DG030) from 2:00 to 3:30 pm. Upcoming sessions are scheduled:

February 18, 2010 14:00-15:30
March 25, 2010 14:00-15:30
April 22, 2010 14:00-15:30
May 20, 2010 14:00-15:30
June 17, 2010 14:00-15:30