Skip to main content Skip to home page

Procedures and Treatments

Rehabilitation at Baptist Health Deaconess is focused on helping you restore movement and functionality and return to your normal daily activities. At Baptist Health Deaconess, many of our services are available on an inpatient, as well as an outpatient basis.

Our team of experts work together with patients and their families to provide a treatment plan that is right for each individual's needs. We offer physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech/language therapy, and even more specialized programs to treat a variety of conditions in adults and children.

Cardiac Rehabilitation
Recovery from a heart attack or heart surgery only just begins when you leave the hospital. It's important to take steps to improve your heart health to avoid another heart attack or cardiac event. These steps include eating healthy, exercising and quitting smoking (if you smoke).

Your physician and nurses will talk to you about your activities after your heart attack or surgery - when you can go back to work, drive and have sex and what to do if you have chest discomfort.

Your physician may recommend a cardiac rehabilitation program. This helps you maintain your fitness after you've recovered from surgery. Many cardiac rehabilitation programs have three phases.

  • Phase I: Education while you're in the hospital, including a class for family members.
  • Phase II: This phase usually begins about four to six weeks after a heart attack or major surgery and includes monitored exercise, education about a heart-healthy diet, managing your heart disease risk factors and counseling. Requires physician referral and often is covered by health insurance.
  • Phase III: Helps you maintain your new fitness level and includes medical-supervised exercise. If you've never had a heart problem, but are at high risk because of your lifestyle or family history, you can participate in phase III to help prevent heart problems from developing.

During a cardiac rehabilitation program, you'll learn the importance of aerobic exercise, proper diet and controlling your stress.

  • Aerobic exercise strengthens your heart and helps it pump more effectively. For heart health, 20 to 30 minutes of exercise at least three times a week is recommended. Cardiac rehabilitation staff works with you to develop an exercise program tailored to your needs. You're closely monitored while you exercise on a treadmill, stationary bicycle, rowing machine and other equipment during the program.
  • A registered dietitian shows you how to make heart-healthy food choices at home, in the grocery store and in restaurants.
  • Cardiac rehabilitation staff members provide a stress management seminar to help you learn techniques to reduce stress, which is a factor in many illnesses.
Respiratory Care

You may need respiratory care if you have a breathing problem caused by an injury or disease such as asthma, emphysema or bronchitis.

We want to make breathing easier for you. Our inpatient and outpatient services to diagnose and treat your problem include:

Diagnostic Services

  • Complete pulmonary function testing
  • Sputum induction, to produce a mucous sample for laboratory testing
  • Pulse oximetry, to determine if your body is getting enough oxygen
  • Blood gas analysis, to determine levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide and other gasses in your blood
  • Peak flow meter, to measure how fast air comes out of your lungs
  • Simple spirometry testing, to measure the volume of air in your lungs and your ability to move air in and out
  • Metabolic testing/indirect calorimetry

Treatment Services

  • Oxygen therapy
  • Aerosol therapy, to deliver medication to your lungs through a fine mist as you inhale
  • Inhalers that deliver a premeasured dose of medicine into your lungs
  • Intermittent positive pressure breathing (IPPB), to deliver medication to your lungs and help you take deep breaths
  • Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
  • Chest physical therapy (CPT), to loosen mucous in your lungs and allow you to cough productively
  • Incentive spirometry, a deep breathing exercise to prevent lung problems after surgery
  • Ventilators that support the basic function of the lungs and temporarily assist you with breathing
  • Airway management including intubation
  • Bronchopulmonary hygiene
  • Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
  • Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program, to help you breathe easier if you have chronic lung problems such as COPD, asthma and lung transplants

Other Services

  • Respiratory care services at skilled nursing facilities
  • Pulmonary screenings for businesses
  • Smoking cessation

Your Care Providers
Respiratory care is provided by registered, certified respiratory therapists and technicians who work under the direction of physicians to monitor and treat your cardiopulmonary system in areas including intensive care, critical care and neonatal care.

Top Back to top