With the annual American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) national conference rapidly approaching, I thought it would be a great time to highlight this organization. Early in my career as an Exercise Physiologist, a friend and colleague shared that being a member of AACVPR was beneficial in supporting her career. I followed her lead and with 30+ years of working with cardiac patients, I agree that becoming a member was excellent advice.
What is AACVPR?
According to www.aacvpr.org, AACVPR is “a multidisciplinary professional association comprised of health professionals who serve in the field of cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation.” Like Pritikin ICR, AACVPR aims to reduce chronic diseases through education, prevention, rehabilitation, research, and disease management. Simply put, AACVPR is an organization dedicated to supporting the cardiopulmonary rehabilitation profession and improving patients’ quality of life. Members include Medical Doctors, Registered Nurses, Exercise Physiologists, Registered Dietitians, and Mental Health Professionals.
How does AACVPR provide value?
- Certification – Program and staff certifications are available. The program certification application process ensures that programs meet requirements set by AACVPR and other professional societies. Among those certified are a number of Pritikin ICR programs. The staff certification exam confirms that clinicians are competent in facts, competencies, and processes in the field.
- Publications & Resources– AACVPR’s website is a great resource for journal articles, newsletters, and guidelines. The Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention is dedicated to the cardiopulmonary field and is the only professional journal of its kind.
- Learning Opportunities – Ever-changing education modules highlight the latest information in the field. Continuing education credits are offered through live webcasts, recorded sessions, state meetings, and at the annual conference.
- Reimbursement – It’s simple to stay on top of reimbursement information and legislative initiatives with AACVPR’s regular updates. An annual Day on the Hill (DOTH) event brings members to Washington DC to meet with legislators and have their voices heard.
- Practice Guidelines – Resources are available for Cardiac/Pulmonary teams related to optimizing care, best practices, terminology, and much more.
- Outcomes Reporting – The outpatient data registry collects program and patient data. Information can be input manually or transferred seamlessly from the telemetry system to the registry.
- Notifications – Monthly news, discussion boards, and job alerts are invaluable! My favorite addition is “The Pulse Digest” message board where clinicians can share best practices and ask questions of one another.
Take action and become a member!
Pritikin ICR is a great supporter of AACVPR as all members of our Business Development, Implementation, and Account Management teams are members of the organization.
You can learn more about AACVPR on their website and consider becoming a member. Better yet, I encourage you to get involved! There are many opportunities to volunteer, serve on committees, advocate for the profession, attain continuing education, connect with fellow clinicians, etc. Choose to elevate your career as I did!
If you will be attending the upcoming AACVPR conference in West Palm Beach, be sure to stop by our booth. I hope to see you there!