The Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehab Clinic at the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine (IEEM), a joint program between UT Southwestern and Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, recently received certification from the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) for its pulmonary rehabilitation program.

AACVPR certification is the only peer-reviewed accreditation process designed to ensure individual facilities adhere to the highest standards and guidelines developed by leading professional societies. Certification is valid for three years.

“AACVPR certification shows that our program is following the gold standard for pulmonary rehab care,” said Ashley Laible, M.B.A., CCRP, CEP, EIM3, Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab Manager at Texas Health Dallas. “We want our patients to know that we are offering quality care.”

The clinic’s longtime cardiac rehabilitation program, led by Satyam “Tom” Sarma, M.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at UTSW, is also certified. The pulmonary rehab program, led by Andrew Tomlinson, M.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, has only been open since July 2023. Its multidisciplinary team of respiratory therapists, exercise physiologists, nurses, dietitians, social workers, and physicians helps guide patients with chronic respiratory conditions – such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), interstitial lung disease (ILD), and pulmonary fibrosis – on their journey to better understanding and managing their disease.

Pulmonary rehab helps patients improve their breathing, medication adherence, and functional capacity. Patients participate in a comprehensive eight-to-12-week program that includes exercise, education, nutrition, counseling, and self-management support.

“Opening this pulmonary rehab program has been so rewarding,” Ms. Laible added. “We really get to know each and every patient to help figure out what they need from us to succeed in managing their chronic health conditions moving forward. We even help coach them on how to interact with other health care providers to get the care and resources that they need. Our goal is to help prevent readmissions and improve their quality of life.”