Research and Innovation

Cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation are burgeoning areas of clinical care and research. Summa Health has a vibrant rehab program with a significant component of research that has validated its innovative clinical care practices.

In fact, the Center for Cardiopulmonary Research (CCPR) provides the organizational structure, administrative leadership and other necessary infrastructure to facilitate research in cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation, disease management and health. The Center’s activities also extend to related areas of cardiovascular health such as heart failure, implantable cardiac defibrillators, psychosocial and cognitive factors in heart disease, and hypertension.

Specific areas of research focus include:

• Resource utilization and clinical outcomes in cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation
• Psychosocial adaptation to cardiopulmonary illness, physiologic changes and exercise capacity during the rehabilitation process
• Baseline psychological function in rehabilitation participants
• Evaluation of quality of life survey instruments
• Innovative exercise prescription and progression through the use of graphic electronic clinical interfaces (which has recently resulted in the submission of a patent application for Summa)
• Adult health literacy and educational curriculum design, neuro-cognitive function and weight loss among obese cardiac rehabilitation participants

Collaborations exist with Kent State University Departments of Psychology & Exercise Physiology and University of Akron Departments of Sports Science & Wellness Education, Curricular & Instructional Design and College of Nursing, Case Western Reserve Francis Bolton College of Nursing, Youngstown State University Department of Human Performance and Exercise Science.

Although cardiopulmonary rehabilitation is critical to addressing the public health problem of cardiopulmonary disease, research in overlapping areas is necessary to fully understand the role of rehabilitation in the healthcare system and to demonstrate how rehabilitation is integral in our nation’s integrated approach to preventing and treating cardiopulmonary disease.

To learn more about the research and education opportunities available at Summa Health, contact us at 330.571.9889. For more on our general involvement with research, sponsored programs and innovation, go to summahealth.org/research.