Pulmonary rehabilitation is an effective treatment for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, access to these services is limited especially in rural and remote areas. Telerehabilitation has the potential to deliver pulmonary rehabilitation programs to these communities. The aim of this study was threefold: to establish the technical feasibility of transmitting real-time pu...

The benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programs in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are well established today [1]. PR programs improve exercise tolerance and health related quality of life; nevertheless, the role of inspiratory muscle training in rehabilitation programs remains controversial [2]. This is particularly due to the absence of clear data on the effe...

PURPOSE To report on the implementation and clinical outcomes of a community-based pulmonary rehabilitation program in rural Appalachia. METHODS Three rural health centers and a large referral hospital worked together to establish pulmonary rehabilitation services based on AACVPR guidelines. Each site hired at least 1 respiratory therapist. To measure clinical outcomes, a retrospective medica...

Pulmonary rehabilitation is an evidence-based, multidisciplinary, comprehensive intervention for patients with chronic respiratory diseases who are symptomatic and whose daily living activities are often restricted. Pulmonary rehabilitation programs are designed to improve the physical and emotional condition of people with chronic respiratory disease and to promote long-term adherence to healt...

BACKGROUND Pulmonary rehabilitation programs often fail to substantially enhance long-term physical activity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The reasons for successful physical activity changes in patients with COPD are not well understood. The need to better understand the determinants of physical activity in patients with COPD and effective rehabilitation strate...

The American Heart Association and the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation recognize that all cardiac rehabilitation/secondary prevention programs should contain specific core components that aim to optimize cardiovascular risk reduction, foster healthy behaviors and compliance to these behaviors, reduce disability, and promote an active lifestyle for patients wi...

s were reviewed by a single reviewer and, for those studies meeting the eligibility criteria, fulltext articles were obtained. Reference lists were also examined for any additional relevant studies not identified through the search. Articles of uncertain eligibility were reviewed with a second clinical epidemiologist and then a group of epidemiologists until consensus was established. The quali...