Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Following lung-related medical issues, the Pulmonary Rehabilitative services at Banner Health can help you get back to health and function with confidence. If you want to improve your quality of life after a chronic lung disease diagnosis, talk to your doctor about referring you for pulmonary rehabilitation at Banner Health.

How Can Pulmonary Rehabilitation Help Me?

We tailor our pulmonary rehabilitation programs to meet your individual needs. Through a variety of conditioning exercises, activities and lessons, you can learn to retrain your breathing, increase your activity and improve the quality of your life.

Sessions include practical information and practice such as:

• Triggers that make you short of breath or cause your oxygen level to be low
• Techniques to decrease and improve shortness of breath
• Pacing to decrease fatigue and tiredness
• Managing medications and equipment
• Common questions about oxygen use and monitoring (Do I need oxygen? How much do I need? How often? With what activities?)
• Travel and leisure activities — with or without oxygen
• How to avoid infection, sleep, eat, work and feel better

What COPD Rehabilitation Programs Are Available to Me?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease rehabilitation programs may also include:

• Exercises to decrease respiratory symptoms and improve muscle strength and endurance
• Exercises for physical conditioning and improved endurance
• Respiratory treatments to improve breathing ability
• Assistance with obtaining respiratory equipment and portable oxygen
• Methods to increase independence with activities of daily living (ADLs)
• Stress management, relaxation exercises and emotional support
• Smoking cessation (quitting smoking) programs
• Nutritional counseling
• Patient and family education and counseling
• Vocational counseling
• Supervised, individualized activities and instruction to condition and strengthen yourself at your own pace, at your own level of ability

Will My Insurance Cover Pulmonary Rehab?

Pulmonary rehabilitation requires a physician referral and records from your doctor, including results of breathing tests within the last year. Most insurance will cover all or part of your pulmonary rehabilitation. Our financial consultants are available to help you determine coverage and copays.