Lehigh Regional Medical Center has expanded its services to include pulmonary rehabilitation provided by cardiopulmonary services under the direction of Pulmonologist and Cardiopulmonary Medical Director, Dr. Ahmad.

The program is physician directed and provides a personal treatment plan, said Jose Morillo, the hospitals's CEO. The program provides diagnostic testing, therapeutic exercises, medications and education training. It doesn't just help the patient live with chronic pulmonary disease, but actually promotes recovery, he said.

Chores that seemed impossible to accomplish become doable under the program, and smokers who have been unable to stop will learn new and innovative ways to quit the habit, said Ahmad. Participation in the program increases strength and endurance and reduces shortness of breath. The program's goal is to help patients improve their quality of life and lead a more active life, he said.

The pulmonary rehabilitation patients at Lehigh Regional Medical Center are guided and instructed by Tracylee Droomer, supervised by Cardiopulmonary Services Director Thomas Campo, both of whom are licensed respiratory therapists.

The primary physician is continually updated as to their patient's progress whenever patients are engaged in the program, which is routinely covered by Medicare, and most other private insurance plans, hospital officials said.

Patients that have been enrolled and receiving regular sessions are thrilled by the increase in their ability to lead a more normal life, Morillo said. They are losing weight, have quicker recovery time from taxing activities and feel they have better control over their disease processes, he said.

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