The very first cardiac rehab program in Indiana to teach the Pritikin ICR curriculum is celebrating their 10th anniversary! Since their opening in February 2016, Columbus Regional Health Cardiac Rehab has been doing their part to increase the health span of their community. Their unique approach resonates well with patients who make an effort to keep in touch long after graduation.
Led by Katie Clark, RN, the program has had very low turnover since launching intensive cardiac rehab – in large part because they love what they do. Katie herself shared her passion for cardiac rehab was kindled back in middle and high school when her dad had a massive heart attack and had to have open-heart surgery. “My mom took us up to see him, and that’s when I was introduced to what cardiac rehab was. I made up my mind that that was what I wanted to do. I went to college and got a degree in exercise science (then nursing 11yrs later), and here I am 20 years later still in Cardiac Rehab.”
Leah McClure, EP, was also inspired to pursue her career in the field after witnessing people in her life journey towards recovery after heart events. “I saw the power and value of cardiac rehab as they rebuilt strength and confidence in themselves. I wanted to play a role as an encourager, an equipper, and an educator for patients. Each patient is someone’s father, sister, spouse, friend, and should be treated with such care. With my history, I do my best to treat each of my patients with the same care I saw given to my loved ones.” The team’s commitment to their profession is clear and really shines through in their daily interactions with patients and in conversation.
As seasoned experts of our program, we asked the Columbus Regional Health team to share their experiences with our curriculum over the years. All highlighted the impact our regularly updated education materials have on both their workload and quality of care. Because Pritikin ICR handles maintaining an up-to-date curriculum, the team can do what they do best: dedicate that much more time with patients, as opposed to developing and maintaining content themselves.
The thing I love most about the Pritikin Program is the education our patients get. We as staff have all the most current information to feed our patients with the knowledge and tools to help them make lifelong changes. We also don’t have to worry about updating any of the information, because Pritikin does it for us.
– Katie Clark, RN
As for the material itself, because we’ve remained committed to ensuring our educational content is accessible through our workshops, Patient Guidebook, cooking schools and other materials, Columbus Regional Health Cardiac Rehab patients leave empowered to make lasting lifestyle changes. The education provided through Pritikin renews patient agency, as they come away knowing how to foster their heart-health through actionable lifestyle modifications.
I love helping patients see that they can play an active role in their cardiac health. While sometimes we need to take medicines, there is also so much that cardiac patients can do through nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle care. It returns to them some of the autonomy and confidence that often gets lost in medical care. I love teaching about how intricately connected all areas of their health are as we take a holistic approach to cardiac rehab.
– Leah McClure, EP
Beyond improved patient education, one of the notable benefits since adopting the Pritikin Program has been patients' increased time with a registered dietitian. Previously, this site had reserved education sessions to once a week on Fridays. Every sixth Friday, a dietitian came in to reinforce the importance of nutrition. Now, patients have a dietitian on-site with them 2 days per week for individualized one-on-one sessions, as well as group education sessions. Having more dedicated time with a dietitian has been a huge help for patients pivoting to a heart-healthy way of eating – especially for those with other specific dietary requirements. Beyond increased time with a dietitian, patients now benefit from education every time they attend cardiac rehab. Regular education helps to reinforce positive changes and improve patient outcomes.
One other notable aspect of partnering with Pritikin ICR is the dedicated ongoing support we provide to the teams teaching our program. We make a concerted effort to truly partner with our providers through regular monthly business reviews, visits, and making ourselves available. This is such a key element to our offering that when asked what her favorite part about working with Pritikin ICR is, Katie shared:
“All the help you receive in providing the best practices to your patients. They are there to support you and encourage you in helping with program outcomes and even any issues with insurance denials. They are always available.”
As Columbus Regional Health’s Account Manager, I have witnessed firsthand this team’s unique synergy. They come engaged to our monthly meetings, and even after ten years of teaching the Pritikin ICR program, they are receptive to trying new things. One example of this is their recent participation in our special pilot program, “Roadmap to Success”. The aim of this pilot is to reduce early dropout rates through the use of specially designed materials aimed at encouraging patients new to the program to continue attending. Katie and her team have done a great job testing out these new materials and providing valuable feedback. Their participation highlights just how dedicated they remain to continuous improvement.
When a patient graduates, their picture is taken and added to the wall of fame. During each graduation, Leah shares a little speech where she recaps the patient’s rehab journey from start to finish, often remarking on small details. Afterwards, the graduate will receive their own certificate of completion. It’s little things like this that make patients feel really appreciated and like they are part of a community.
“It is genuinely a privilege to walk alongside cardiac patients in their rehab journey. It is a great joy to get to know them as people (not just patients), to serve as their cheerleader and to hold onto the vision of them reaching their goals when it feels too far out of reach somedays. Their smiles, their willingness to try and their progression are unbelievably rewarding.”
– Leah McClure, EP
“Our patients become like family to us, which makes it all the more rewarding as they continue their journey to becoming healthier.”
– Katie Clark, RN
I’m not the only one who appreciates the Columbus Regional Health Cardiac Rehab team’s efforts – patients have lots to share! Over the past year, the team has made an effort to encourage patients to complete patient surveys upon graduation. They’ve gotten some great feedback! Of the 54 responses submitted in 2025, 87% agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “I follow the exercise recommendations from my cardiac rehab team.”
“I feel like every one of the staff members were totally concerned for my well-being. I even pushed myself harder than I should have, thinking if I were to have another heart issue, I couldn't be in a better place. I would be back on the corner treadmill, but that sure didn't escape the watchful eye of whoever was watching the monitor. "Jim...what are you up to back there?" I heard that a few times. I'm sure gonna miss coming here. I will miss each and everyone here. As I go forth, their concern for my well-being will help push me to eat better and exercise more frequently than I have been doing. Thanks so much for everything!”
- Columbus Regional Health Cardiac Rehab Graduate
Ninety-four percent of patients shared their eating habits were a bit more healthy or much more healthy than before cardiac rehab. Patients also reported an improved mind-set, with 98% sharing that their overall mind-set is a bit more positive or much more positive than before cardiac rehab.
“Everybody at Columbus Regional Health Cardiac Rehab is very caring, and the program was amazing. I experienced the loss of my daughter in August, and they have been nothing but supportive and understanding of my emotions continuously checking on me. I feel like you have people who truly care about their patients.”
- Columbus Regional Health Cardiac Rehab Graduate
As if that weren’t enough, 96% shared they felt confident to continue following the Pritikin lifestyle after cardiac rehab. When asked how likely they would be to recommend the program to someone who has experienced a heart event, the average response was 10/10.
How can we make these numbers come to life? Leah shared a sweet patient story that ties everything together:
We had a patient come to his orientation, pushed in a wheelchair by his wife, due to his lack of balance and endurance after his bypass surgery. He worked diligently throughout the program, attending classes, willing to try more intensity with exercise, and always bringing a positive “I’ll do my best” attitude. Eventually, he progressed to using a cane for support to walk up to the clinic. By the time he graduated, he was not using any support for walking, could sustain 45 minutes of exercise, had already purchased home exercise equipment, and used many of the Pritikin recipes on a weekly basis. We are so proud of him and truly honored to be a part of his recovery journey.
Happy Anniversary, Columbus Regional Health! Keep up the great work! We can’t wait to see what more you accomplish in 2026.