Look Who it Was Random video

Cardiac Rehab Could Use a Boost

736 views · Published 14 September 2015 · 1:49 · Indexed 23 October 2026

Channel: Lee Health · 2015 · Science & Technology

Watch on YouTube

“We constantly monitor them making sure that they’re in a moderate to somewhat hard type of range of exercise,” says Rosa Godoy, who is an exercise physiologist with Lee Memorial Health System. 

With tired or tattered hearts, people come here to boost their cardiac health. 

“We notice that they’re able to sustain the exercise more easily. They improve with their endurance and their stamina,” says Godoy. 

Now the program that fuels them could use some love.

“I think a lot of it is because people are not aware of what cardiac rehab actually entails. Nationally there’s only 33% of those that could utilize the services that are using it,” says Marion Harris-Barter, who is a registered nurse with Lee Memorial Health System. 

Lee Memorial Health System fares much better working with doctors to refer eligible patients approved by Medicare for heart attacks, angina, stents, heart transplantation, open heart surgery which includes bypass, graphs or heart repair and heart failure. Studies show it greatly reduces cardiac-related deaths over the following six years.

“It’s a comprehensive program. So as well as the exercise, monitored exercise sessions we do a lot of education. On diet, other risk factors that are associated with heart disease,” says Harris-Barter. 

Cardiac rehab goes beyond the classroom, not just teaching people how to care for themselves, but putting it into practice. People with existing heart conditions learn to make life-saving life changes.

“That’s our whole goal. We only have them for 12 weeks, but when they leave here they feel confident,” says Harris-Barter. 

With a proven track record, the move is on to convince heart patients that cardiac rehab is worth their time and effort in the long run.  


View More Health Matters video segments at leememorial.org/healthmatters/

Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

Visit leememorial.org

More from this channel