5 questions for … Bill Forbes

Photo by Desiree Myers

Popular education/exercise program poised to help more than hearts

LIFEWORx, TU’s cardiac-rehab partnership with St. Joseph Medical Center, is one of the university’s oldest and best-known programs— in addition to being one of the largest programs of its kind in the county. Now LIFEWORx is seeking to extend its services to adults with other debilitating medical conditions.

Tell me a little about LIFEWORx.
Most of our 280 clients were referred to us for rehabilitation by St. Joseph’s Cardiovascular Fitness Department. Most are in their 60s, 70s and 80s. They’ve had a bypass procedure or angioplasty with stents, but they haven’t necessarily had a heart attack. We also work with clients who possess two or three coronary-risk factors—they’re working with us to help prevent heart problems.

Who’s on the staff?
We’re very fortunate to have a highly qualified staff—all have master’s degrees in cardiac rehabilitation or clinical exercise physiology. The program has 4.5 full-time staff, including me. We operate under the auspices of a joint TU/SJMC medical advisory board. One of the cardiologists who sits on the board also functions as the LIFEWORx medical director.

Why is LIFEWORx so popular?
Our program offers cardiac-rehab patients an opportunity to exercise three to five days per week at their convenience. Each person receives an individualized exercise prescription based on his or her age, gender and any physical or disease-related limitations. We offer educational programming on nutrition, weight loss, stress management and other health-related topics. Also beneficial are the friendships and social interactions that often develop among LIFEWORx participants.

What’s in the future for LIFEWORx?
The LIFEWORx Medical Fitness Program. We recognized that people with a variety of medical conditions—diabetes, arthritis, stroke, and obesity, for example—could benefit from a comprehensive exercise and wellness program. Medical fitness programs exist mainly at hospital fitness centers, but we certainly have the facilities and staff to offer one here. If all goes well, then we’ll seek certification.

Are there any other TU/St. Joseph collaborations in the offing?
The university and the medical center are sponsoring the first Baltimore Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation Conference on Saturday, May 5, in the University Union. Mark Midei, M.D., director of the St. Joseph Cardiac Catheterization Lab, will deliver the keynote address. Anyone who’d like more information can call me at x44555.

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