Welcome to “Camp Cardio.”

That’s the name of the new joint community program among Olympic Medical Center, the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center (SARC) and Clallam County YMCA.

The three entities have collaborated to create a community-based cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation transition program.

“Camp Cardio” is available by referral to patients who have been discharged from Olympic Medical Heart Center’s cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs, but need a transition program to provide support as they learn to manage their health independently. With the agreement, OMC will refer cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation patients to SARC in Sequim and the YMCA in Port Angeles.

Olympic Medical Heart Center has seen a growing demand for rehabilitation care and a transitions program over the past few years, OMC officials said. With the “Camp Cardio” program in the community, growth can occur in both areas, ensuring patients receive excellent care management, medical center officials said this week.

“The goal … always has been to help our patients successfully learn self-care and instill a sense of independence and ownership in their cardiovascular health,” Leonard Anderson, chronic disease program coordinator at Olympic Medical Heart Center, said. “It is an important piece of the continuum of care to move beyond the clinical setting and still have a safe, comfortable place to maintain their efforts to achieve heart health. In addition, offering this transitional program in a community-based setting allows the Heart Center to serve more community members with the vital cardiac and pulmonary rehab service.”

Only patients discharged from cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation are eligible for the program.

For more information about program hours and cost, call Olympic Medical Heart Center at 565-0500.

Camping at SARC

“Camp Cardio” programs at the 17,000-square-foot SARC facility will all be supervised by SARC trainers and staff, said Frank Pickering, president of SARC’s board of directors.

Rehabilitation at SARC is intended to build on the three months of rehabilitation available at OMC, he said.

“SARC is an asset that helps bring additional medical professionals to the area, which is something OMC struggles with,” Pickering said.

Since SARC has the capacity available, he said, and this program was a good way to utilize the space.

According to SARC executive director Scott Deschenes, OMC officials approached SARC and the YMCA to take over the post-operative transition support of the cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs.

“The variety of equipment, classes and pool allow us to help these participants continue a healthy lifestyle,” Deschenes said. “The match between Olympic Medical Heart Center and SARC is an excellent one.”

“Camp Cardio” program fees cover the cost of SARC passes for the first three months.

Program users get a prescribed workout plan from their physicians and use them at SARC or YMCA facilities. They will use cardio or workout rooms in a kind of open workout, with SARC-approved trainers and staff on hand to advise.

Added Pickering, “SARC is pleased to partner with this great local health care provider to benefit the greater community.”

The Sequim multi-use facility also has capacity for other community partnership programs, SARC officials said.

For more information, call Leslee Francis at 683-3344, ext. 14. See www.sarcfitness.com.