Supporting heart health through cardiac rehabilitation
April 2026
At Providence, cardiac rehabilitation is more than exercise — it’s a comprehensive, supportive environment that empowers patients to heal, rebuild and move forward with confidence in their heart health.
Healthy tips for a happy heart
“Heart disease is the leading cause of death, but the good thing is there's so many things that we can do to slow progression,” says Kendra McMillen, cardiac rehabilitation specialist at Providence Medford Medical Center.
Foundational steps include healthy eating, regular physical activity, stress management and keeping blood pressure and cholesterol levels under control — often in close partnership with a health care provider.
What is cardiac rehabilitation?
For patients recovering from cardiac events or procedures, cardiac rehabilitation plays a critical role. Cardiac rehab is a medically supervised program designed to help patients safely rebuild strength, stamina and confidence in their bodies.
“Cardiac Rehab is a supervised exercise program where we bring our patients in and we hook them up to a three lead telemetry monitor and we monitor their heart rate and rhythm before, during and after activity,” Kendra says.
Patients typically attend up to 36 sessions, allowing care teams to closely track progress and tailor exercise plans to individual needs. During each visit, vital signs such as blood pressure and heart rhythm are monitored to ensure the heart is responding appropriately to activity.
“Throughout the course of seeing our patients, we're able to build a rapport because we see them for up to 36 sessions,” Kendra says.
Cardiac rehab combines aerobic activity with strength training to support everyday movement and independence. Exercises focus on increasing cardiovascular endurance while strengthening large muscle groups that power daily life.