Who We Are
The American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) is a multidisciplinary professional association comprised of health professionals who serve in the field of cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation.
Members include cardiovascular and pulmonary physicians, nurses, exercise physiologists, physical therapists, behavioral scientists, respiratory therapists, dieticians and nutritionists.
We are committed to the continued professional development of our members through networking and educational opportunities.
History & Mission
Founded in 1985, the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) is dedicated to our mission of reducing morbidity, mortality and disability from cardiovascular and pulmonary disease through education, prevention, rehabilitation, research and disease management. Central to the core mission is improvement in quality of life for patients and their families.
The success of AACVPR depends on the activities of a dedicated volunteer Board of Directors, several volunteer committees and a committed professional headquarters staff.
The Board of Directors is the governing body for AACVPR and is responsible for developing the organization’s strategic plan and making fiscal and policy decisions that align AACVPR activities with its mission and vision and result in significant benefit to its members.
Committee members develop resources, organize and implement initiatives and keep a keen eye on policies resulting in exceptional educational opportunities, and resources important to the fulfillment of our mission and our members’ success.
Click each of the icons below to learn more about what we do.
Publications and Resources
AACVPR publishes a number of key documents dedicated to advancing the quality of cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation and secondary prevention programs.
Key publications from AACVPR include:
AACVPR also leads writing groups for guidelines, scientific reviews and publications in peer-reviewed journals. A comprehensive collection of cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation resources can be found on AACVPR Central.
Education
AACVPR provides high-quality, specialized education to AACVPR at the AACVPR Annual Meeting, in monthly live webcasts and a library of recorded sessions, and through leadership training. Learn more about education opportunities.
Public Policy Efforts
AACVPR has a dedicated and active government relations staff in Washington, D.C. Learn more about our policy efforts and events.
Program Certification
AACVPR sponsors a Cardiac and Pulmonary Program Certification process, the only peer-reviewed accreditation process designed to review individual facilities for adherence to standards and guidelines developed and published by the AACVPR and other professional societies.
Outpatient Data Registries
The AACVPR Outpatient Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Registries are powerful tools for tracking patient outcomes and program performance in meeting evidence-based guidelines for secondary prevention of heart and vascular disease.
Participating programs can create and manage patient profiles, enter and view outcomes data in real time, track progress, and produce individual and grouped outcomes reports.
Awards
Each year, AACVPR bestows the following honors upon deserving individuals:
Deserving CR and PR Programs and Affiliates organizations are honored with the following two awards:
- L. Kent Smith Award of Excellence
- Distinguished Service Award
AACVPR will also recognize individuals who have made significant strides in the fields of cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. Nominations are not being accepted at this time for these two awards:
- Linda K. Hall Innovation Award
- Outstanding Affiliate Society Award
Each year, the awards ceremony takes place at the AACVPR Annual Meeting.
- Michael L. Pollock Established Investigator Award
- Thomas L. Petty Distinguished Pulmonary Scholar Award
Interested in growing your leadership skills through AACVPR? Let us know by contacting AACVPR headquarters at 312-321-5146 or via email at aacvpr@aacvpr.org.