SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., ― Cardiac disease is a leading cause of death around the world, but cardiac rehabilitation can help improve health for those at risk.

Regional West Medical Center-Rehab Center is recognizing the professionals dedicated to this field during Cardiac Rehabilitation Week and Cardiovascular Professionals Week Feb. 12 through 18.

In the United States, heart disease is the number one cause of death in men and women, claiming approximately one million lives per year. By combining exercise and education, the Regional West-Rehab Center Cardiac Rehab program seeks to decrease risk factors and improve the health of patients with heart and lung disease.

“Being able to help guide and educate my patients through our cardiac rehab program has shown me firsthand what a supportive, multidisciplinary team of staff and peers can do for a patient’s life,” said Regional West Cardiac Rehab Patient Care Coordinator Rachel Hutchinson, RN, BSN. “Our patients become like family, and we are there with them and their families encouraging and checking in on them throughout their weeks with us. Knowing that they are not alone in their situation, becoming more confident about exercising and staying active, and being empowered to return to work or to other aspects of their normal lives is very rewarding for me to witness and to be a part of their progress.”

Cardiac rehabilitation at Regional West-Rehab Center is designed to give each patient an individual plan for recovery from heart disease or surgery.

Cardiology consultations and risk assessment are available at Regional West by calling 308-630-2626. The Heart and Lung Center at Regional West, which offers a comprehensive range of cardiac and lung care services, can be reached at 308-630-1337.

For more ideas and simple steps you can use every day for better heart health, visit www.heart.org.

Regional West Health Services in Scottsbluff, Neb., is the parent company of Regional West Medical Center, a 188-bed regional referral center and the only Level II Trauma Center in Nebraska west of Kearney. As the region’s only tertiary referral medical center, Regional West offers care that spans more than 32 medical specialties provided by over 28 physician clinics. With nearly 300 in-network providers and approximately 2,000 staff members, Regional West provides comprehensive and innovative health care services for the people of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming.