Cardiac Rehabilitation & Secondary Prevention Program:

About Us

London Health Sciences Centre’s (LHSC) Cardiac Rehabilitation & Secondary Prevention Program (CRSP) delivers a case-managed, comprehensive model of secondary vascular disease prevention service to cardiac patients. CRSP accomplishes this by providing individualized, multidisciplinary, evidence-based interventions that involve medical leadership and assessment, education, counselling, behavioural modification and prescribed exercise, which address the range of modifiable risk factors for cardiac patients. CRSP follows national cardiac rehabilitation guidelines, which build on lessons learned from the successful Ontario Cardiac Rehabilitation Pilot Project (2001-02). The program is delivered by an interprofessional team of specialists including physicians, a nurse practitioner, kinesiologists, psychologists and dietitians. As mandated by the Ministry of Health and Long-term care, CRSP is the coordinating site for satellite programs in southwestern Ontario.

Cardiac Rehabilitation ... Healing the body and the mind. People who follow a cardiac rehab program feel better, live longer, and lead healthier lives.

A Brief History

In 2001, London Health Sciences Centre was one of twenty-four sites chosen to be involved in the Ontario Cardiac Rehabilitation Pilot Project. This Pilot Project was the largest research trial of its kind conducted in Canada, with a purpose to provide the Ontario Ministry of Health & Long Term Care with information regarding the provision of cardiac rehabilitation services throughout Ontario.

Under the medical direction of Dr. Neville Suskin, LHSC’s Cardiac Rehabilitation & Secondary Prevention Program continues to deliver the comprehensive model of secondary disease prevention service established during the successful Pilot Project. The delivery of this program is made possible through an innovative partnership between the London YMCA and LHSC.

Our Strategy

To help patients achieve sustainable changes in their lifestyle behaviour.

In the short term, we focus our efforts on helping you return to your normal daily activities and cope with the psychological and social aspects of having a heart condition. We also help you reduce your risk of having another heart problem and to control symptoms such as pain or fatigue, caused by the heart condition or that result from heart surgery.

Over the long term, you will learn how to identify and control risk factors that may have contributed to your heart disease and perhaps you may even develop new social support networks as you meet others who have gone through similar experiences. Heart-healthy behaviors will become a vital part of your life, and will begin to have a positive effect on your overall health.

Program Brochure

Our goal is to help patients apply the knowledge and experience they gain during cardiac rehabilitation so that upon completion of the program, they will be able to continue on their own.