A Second Chance at Heart Health: Inside TMH’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
October 1, 2025
By: Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare
Categories: Heart, Heart & Vascular, Rehabilitation
Recovering from a heart event—such as a heart attack, bypass surgery or valve replacement—can feel overwhelming. At Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH), the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program is designed to help patients rebuild strength, confidence and quality of life—one step at a time.
“Our program is about secondary prevention,” explains David W. Smith, MD, Cardiologist at TMH Physician Partners, Services by Southern Medical Group, and Cardiac Medical Director at TMH. “These are patients who have had heart-related disorders—whether heart failure, valve abnormality, bypass surgery or stent placement—and they come to us wanting to prevent the problem from happening again. We guide them through lifestyle changes, exercise, nutrition and stress management, while also giving them the confidence to go out and live life fully."
Who Benefits from Cardiac Rehab?
A heart event, cardiac surgery or unexpected diagnosis can change a person’s life overnight. Recovery often brings fear, questions and uncertainty. That’s where cardiac rehab makes a difference.
Patients enter the program for many reasons: bypass surgery, valve repair, stent placement, or even a heart transplant. Others join after being diagnosed with angina or congestive heart failure. While their paths to rehab vary, their goals are the same—regaining strength and independence. Cardiac rehab provides the structured support to get there.
A Customized Care Plan for Every Patient
No two hearts are alike, and neither are recovery journeys. When a patient first enters TMH’s program, the team doesn’t hand out a one-size-fits-all plan. Instead, they listen and learn. Through a detailed health assessment, they uncover each patient’s unique challenges and goals.
From there, the care team—cardiologists, nurses, respiratory therapists and exercise physiologists—design an Individualized Treatment Plan (ITP). For one patient, this may mean building stamina through guided fitness training; for another, learning stress management or new nutrition habits. Some focus on balance, diabetes control or quitting smoking, while others benefit from coaching to stay on track with medications.
Importantly, an ITP evolves. Each month, the team reviews progress and adjusts goals to keep patients moving forward safely. This ongoing, personalized approach helps patients build a sustainable path to better health.
More Than Just Exercise
While state-of-the-art equipment plays a role, cardiac rehab is about far more than workouts.
“You can join a gym or buy home equipment,” says Dr. Smith, “but what cardiac rehab offers is a safe, structured, supervised and personalized program. Patients know exactly how much they should do, when it’s time to progress, and they always have a professional team to guide them.”
Equally important is the sense of community. Patients share experiences and celebrate milestones together. “Everybody’s there to get better,” adds Dr. Smith. “And they support each other along the way.”
Tracking Progress and Measuring Success
Success in cardiac rehab isn’t measured only by medical outcomes. Patients are evaluated on exercise tolerance, treadmill performance, and other physical metrics—but those are just the starting point.
“The most important question we ask is simple,” says Dr. Smith. “‘Do you feel stronger, healthier, and more confident?’”
Most patients attend 36 sessions over about three months, with flexible scheduling to fit individual needs. For those who wish to continue beyond the initial program, TMH offers extended opportunities to stay active and engaged, fostering both health and community.
Getting to the Root Cause
Cardiac rehabilitation addresses not only recovery, but also prevention. The team works with patients to tackle risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, inactivity and obesity.
“One misconception is that people who’ve had heart issues should be inactive,” says Dr. Smith. “The opposite is true. Under supervision, patients learn they can be active—and they feel better when they are. We want to strengthen the whole body so the heart doesn’t have to work as hard.”
Why TMH?
TMH’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program is the only one of its kind in the region. Unlike a gym, it offers medical supervision, customized treatment plans, and evidence-based education to give patients the best chance at recovery and long-term success.
The program also participates in research-driven initiatives, exploring everything from body composition and nutrition to the role of gut bacteria in heart health—placing TMH at the forefront of advancing cardiac recovery.
A Path Toward a Healthier Future
For Dr. Smith, the reward comes in seeing lives transformed. “You walk through the rehab facility, and you feel the positive energy. Patients are proud of their progress. They’ll call out, ‘Look at me!’ And you see them getting stronger, healthier, and more confident every day.”
TMH’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program isn’t just about recovery. It provides tools, support, and hope—helping patients live life fully after heart disease.
Learn more about enrolling in TMH’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program by talking with your physician or calling 850-431-7095.
