MacNeal Hospital cardiac rehabilitation program earns national innovation award

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Allison Peters 
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American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation recognizes "Foundations of Strength" initiative for improving outcomes among frail cardiac rehabilitation patients

MAYWOOD, IL – MacNeal Hospital's cardiac rehabilitation program has been recognized with the 2026 Dr. Linda K. Hall Innovation Award from the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR), honoring the team's pioneering work to better support frail patients participating in cardiac rehabilitation.

The national award recognizes innovative approaches that enhance care delivery and improve outcomes for patients. MacNeal Hospital was selected for its "Building a Stronger Foundation: Frailty Assessment and Intervention in Cardiac Rehab" project, which created a comprehensive strategy to identify and address frailty among cardiac rehabilitation patients.

Foundations of Strength program addresses patient frailty to improve cardiac rehab outcomes

Frailty is a common but often underrecognized condition that can affect a patient's strength, mobility and ability to participate fully in rehabilitation programs. Patients experiencing frailty frequently face lower participation and completion rates and often achieve poorer outcomes compared with other cardiac rehabilitation patients.

To address this challenge, the MacNeal team developed the Foundations of Strength Program, a specialized initiative designed to meet the unique needs of this vulnerable patient population. The program incorporates comprehensive frailty assessments, targeted education, supervised practice opportunities and strength-training interventions aimed at improving functional capacity, confidence and long-term success in rehabilitation.

"Our goal was to create a model that better supports patients who are at higher risk of struggling through traditional cardiac rehabilitation programs," said Betsy Hart, DCEP, ACSM-CEP, CCRP, supervisor of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation services at MacNeal Hospital and Loyola University Medical Center. "By identifying frailty early and providing focused interventions, we can help patients stay engaged, complete their rehabilitation and achieve better health outcomes."

The program was designed to increase patient engagement, improve retention and graduation rates and ultimately enhance outcomes among patients who historically have experienced barriers to completing cardiac rehabilitation.

MacNeal Hospital’s cardiac rehabilitation program recognized for improving patient care

The Dr. Linda K. Hall Innovation Award recognizes programs that use creative and forward-thinking approaches to improve patient care. MacNeal's work demonstrates how cardiac rehabilitation programs can expand services to better meet the needs of vulnerable populations while advancing best practices across the field.

"This award is a testament to the dedication, expertise and innovation of our cardiac rehabilitation team," said Charles Bareis, MD, president and chief medical officer of MacNeal Hospital. "Their commitment to advancing rehabilitation care and developing personalized approaches for patients with complex needs reflects the very best of our mission to deliver exceptional, compassionate care.”

AACVPR recently recognized award recipients during its 41st Annual Meeting in San Antonio on Sept. 30, 2026.