Page 29 - UHF_HereMagazine2025_21447

Virtual Cardiac Rehab for
More Accessible Recovery
Recovering from a heart event requires ongoing care, including
access to cardiac rehabilitation. But not all patients can easily
access in-person programs. The My Heart Coach platform was
launched as part of the Northern Alberta Cardiac Rehabilitation
program. This virtual rehab program allows patients to
participate from home, improving access and engagement.
Many patients use a hybrid model — attending some sessions in
person and others online — while nearly 20 per cent of patients
indicated they wouldn’t have participated in rehab at all
without this option.
A Minimally Invasive
Breakthrough
For patients suffering from mitral valve regurgitation —
a condition where blood leaks backward through the
mitral valve — treatment options have traditionally been
limited to open-heart surgery. But thanks to the new
Transcatheter Edge-To-Edge program, appropriately
selected patients at the Maz now have access to a
minimally invasive alternative. So far, eight patients have
undergone the procedure, experiencing shorter hospital
stays and faster recoveries compared to those who
undergo traditional surgery.
A New Model for
Post-Surgery Follow-Up
Recovering from heart surgery can be
complex, and timely follow-up care is
crucial to preventing complications. A new
nurse practitioner-led clinic was created to
provide consistent, personalized follow-up
care for identified patients in the critical
post-discharge period. This initiative has
received overwhelmingly positive feedback
from patients, families, physicians and staff,
leading to smoother recoveries and fewer
hospital re-admissions.
EVERY DOLLAR OF the Maz $10 million commitment has been invested in
modernizing equipment, enhancing patient care and funding groundbreaking research —
all made possible by the generosity of donors. These investments are already improving
outcomes for the over 71,000 outpatients and 1,700 surgery patients who visit the Maz each
year, ensuring it remains a world-class leader in heart care. This is what donor generosity
looks like in action: innovation that saves lives and shapes the future of health care.
G i v e t o U H F . c a 29