Hartford Business Journal

22 Hartford Business Journal • March 11, 2019 • www.HartfordBusiness.com 26 Hartford Business Journal • March 11, 2019 www.HartfordBusiness.com SPONSORED CONTENT Care for a heart attack patient, however, does not simply end with stopping the episode. The Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute also boasts a thriving post- heart attack and post-surgical rehabilitation program. "We are the leaders in cardiac rehab," said Dr. Vashist. "We know that when a patient participates in our cardiac rehabilitation program there is a proven reduction in mortality related to heart disease." The Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at Saint Francis provides specialized, unique, and preventive options to patients. In addition to yoga, Zumba, Thai Chi, balance, and other physical activity classes, the program offers smoking cessation classes and weekly support groups. Among the programs offered is the Life-care Program used to assess individuals who may be at risk for cardiovascular disease and provides them with education and prevention tools to make the necessary changes before a heart attack occurs. Additionally, the center offers a the largest Women's Heart Program in the region, which has provided cardiac health education and risk assessments to more than eleven thousand women in the greater Hartford area since its inception. The free program, a true testament to the value of the power of prevention, creates an opportunity for women with a high risk for heart disease to have direct access to registered dieticians, certified exercise physiologists, registered nurses, and cardiologists, with the hopes of empowering them with the knowledge, tools, and skills necessary to reduce their risk and lead long, healthy lives. "We focus on women who are underserved in our communities and on women who tend to have higher risk factors that may lead to heart disease," said Dr. Kelsey. "Women, very often, are the caretakers of the family and usually spend little time taking care of themselves. We get out, into their communities to meet with them face to face and educate them on signs and symptoms of heart disease, on the value of nutrition and exercise, and on the importance of making their own health a top priority." Award Winning Care With an aging population the need for expertise in cardiovascular care is rising. Patients have their choice of hospitals and physicians, but few have accomplished the long list of accolades as the team at the Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute at Saint Francis. The center has earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association's Heart-Check mark for Advanced Certification in Heart Failure, both achievements coming from highly respected organizations, validating the center as a symbol of quality. Among several other repeated recognitions, for several consecutive years the institute has also been awarded the Get With The Guidelines®–Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart Association, an achievement recognizing the center's ability to implement specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology Foundation's secondary prevention guidelines for heart failure patients. This is the third consecutive year that Hoffman Heart has been recognized with the Gold Plus quality achievement award. No award, however, compares to the flood of patient testimonials and success stories that pour out of the center and Saint Francis Hospital. Patient after patient return to the center week after week, following a cardiovascular event or as a means to prevent one, attending rehabilitation classes and workout sessions, they march emphatically on the treadmill or bop their way to health in the latest Zumba class. They are the ultimate reward and the driving force that keeps the team of experts at Saint Francis leading the way to better heart health for all. Dr. Sabeena Arora, director of the Heart Failure Program at Saint Francis, and the Heart Failure Unit at Saint Francis Hospital, the first of its kind in Connecticut. Members of the cardiovascular disease team (pictured left) Dr. Patrick Corcoran, an interventional cardiology specialist and (pictured right) Dr. Aseem Vashist, assistant director of cardiac catheter laboratories, Saint Francis Hospital.

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