North Bay now has its first funded cardiac rehab program.
Officials say North Bay Cardiology brings life-saving care to community members living with heart disease.
There are several partners involved, including the Nipissing Wellness Ontario Health Team (NWOHT), University Health Network (UHN), Canadore College, Nipissing University, the YMCA of Northeastern Ontario and Canadian Shield Health Service.
“As North Bay’s first cardiologist I have been pleased to help to bring excellent cardiac care closer to home,” says Dr. Jari Tuomi, Adult General Cardiologist, CEO and Founder, North Bay Cardiology. “The development of this cardiac rehab program is a continuation of that mission and I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in making this project a reality.”
Program officials say a $100,000 investment from NWOHT accelerated its launch and will be running as a pilot for the next 20 weeks, with plans to expand when additional funding is secured.
They say to remove barriers to care, patients will access all services in this program for free.
“The pilot launch of the North Bay Cardiac Rehabilitation Program illustrates the benefits that come from organizations working together to address gaps in local services,” says Wendy Smith, Executive Director, Nipissing Wellness Ontario Health Team. “Together we have the power to improve access to high quality health care for people living with heart disease in the Nipissing district.”
Key features of the cardiac rehab program include:
- Personalized, safe, and effective exercise prescriptions
- Supervised exercise classes
- Education sessions led by registered healthcare professionals
- Nutrition workshops and counselling by a registered dietitian
- Access to social work, mental health support services, and community programs
- 16-week membership to the YMCA and a partner rate membership for 6 months post-program
Officials say patients will be offered timely access to 16 weeks of specialized rehabilitative care, leading to improved health outcomes and potential savings of over $500,000 annually for the local health system.
