June 10, 2025 — The Lee Health Heart Institute is proud to announce that its Cardiac Rehabilitation program has been awarded a grant from the Million Hearts® Advancing Cardiac Rehabilitation Project. The grant will support the implementation of evidence-based strategies to expand access and increase participation in cardiac rehab across the Southwest Florida community.
This recognition follows another major milestone for the health system. Earlier this year, it was named a Million Hearts® Health System for its commitment to improving the cardiovascular health of patients, employees, and communities through initiatives like the Remote Patient Monitoring Program, Mobile Medical Clinic, and the Cardiac Rehabilitation program.
Million Hearts® is a national initiative led by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), which aims to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes within five years.
According to the CDC, participation in a cardiac rehab program can reduce the risks of death from cardiac events and decrease hospital readmissions. Cardiac rehab participation improves functional status, quality of life, and mood.
However, participation in cardiac rehab remains low, ranging from 19% to 34% in a national analysis (Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2016), with strong state-by-state geographic variations and differences by cardiac diagnosis, according to the CDC. Research has also found that females are least likely to fully utilize the services of the cardiac rehabilitation program.
At Lee Health, this grant will help remove barriers to increase participation in the cardiac rehab program in the Southwest Florida community, especially among women.
“We’ve seen that women have been underrepresented in our cardiac rehab programs, with enrollment rates below 30%,” said Marion Harris-Barter, Lee Health’s system director of cardiac rehab. “This grant allows us to break down barriers and reach more women, as well as men, who can benefit from these life-changing services. Cardiac rehab has been shown to reduce mortality and morbidity by 26%, and we’re committed to ensuring more members of our community can access the care they need to recover, thrive, and lead healthier lives.”
Lee Health is taking several steps to identify and address barriers to cardiac rehab participation, including placing liaisons in hospitals to speak with women after a cardiac event and assess their interest and any obstacles to cardiac rehab.
The health system also plans to launch a class tailored to women’s educational needs, highlighting the benefits of cardiac rehab. While the exact financial support details are still being finalized, the grant is expected to help reduce costs for participants by potentially covering expenses such as co-pays, fuel, and other related needs.
“This grant not only supports our efforts to improve access to cardiac rehab, but it also strengthens our commitment to making the Lee Health Heart Institute a destination for comprehensive, patient-centered cardiac care,” said Adam deJong, vice president of operations at the Lee Health Heart Institute. “By expanding access to cardiac rehab and addressing long-standing barriers, we’re not only improving individual outcomes—we’re setting a new standard for heart health in our region and leading the way in delivering innovative, community-focused care.”
The Lee Health Heart Institute is the largest heart program in Southwest Florida. It believes in a collaborative approach to cardiac care where cardiac imaging experts work closely with the referring physician to ensure a personalized care plan that meets each patient’s unique needs. It specializes in everything from primary and specialty care, advanced cardiac imaging, cardiothoracic surgery, cardiac rehabilitation, and more.
The cardiac rehabilitation program at Lee Health helps heart patients by providing a comprehensive plan that includes medical expertise, exercise, education, and counseling so they can take charge, recover from illness, and live a full and active life.
To learn more, please visit www.leehealth.org/heart.
About Lee Health
Since the opening of the first hospital in 1916, Lee Health has been a health care leader in Southwest Florida, constantly evolving to meet the needs of the community. A non-profit, integrated health care services organization, Lee Health is committed to the well-being of every individual served, focused on healthy living and maintaining good health. Staffed by caring people, inspiring health, services are conveniently located throughout the community in four acute care hospitals, two specialty hospitals, outpatient centers, walk-in medical centers, primary care and specialty physician practices and other services across the continuum of care. Formerly known as Lee Memorial Health System, the organization began its second century of service with a new name in 2016. Learn more at www.LeeHealth.org.
