Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Stephenville is expanding services in Erath County to become the first facility in the county to offer a Phase 3 cardiac rehabilitation program- a rare offering to residents living in a rural community.
The American Heart Association (AHA) reported in 2026 statistics that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and Cardiovascular diseases, including all types of heart disease and stroke, result in more deaths in the U.S. each year than all forms of cancer combined.
For more than 50 years in the U.S., cardiac rehab has helped patients recover and improve their heart health, with the program evolving into four distinct phases across the nation: Phase 1 — physical exercise (inpatient setting) before discharge Phase 2 — physical exercise (outpatient setting) under medical supervision with cardiac monitoring Phase 3 — physical exercise without cardiac monitoring (outpatient setting), but with access to the rehab care team Phase 4 — lifelong independent exercise with cardiovascular risk management Texas Health Stephenville launched the Phase 3 program in June.
“In a rural community where options are limited, it’s a critical need,” said Casey Accaputo, B.H.A., RRT, Cardiopulmonary Program director at Texas Health Stephenville. The program serves more than 80 cardiac and pulmonary patients every year, Accaputo said, and several have expressed concerns about losing momentum after completing their Phase 2 cardiac rehab.
“Our maintenance program is meeting patients’ needs by offering continued support, accountability and a safe environment to sustain their cardiovascular progress,” Accaputo said. “Our rehab care team is committed to helping Erath County residents maintain healthier lives close to home.”
Despite its benefits, AHA reports just 25% of all eligible patients participate in the standard Phase 2 cardiac rehab. Unfortunately, a major barrier for cardiac patients is access to nearby facilities which the hospital aims to combat with its expanded program.
Christie Hershey, MBA, R.N., cardiac rehab supervisor for Texas Health Stephenville also noted that cardiac rehab programs help individuals recover and improve heart health after severe heart conditions, including heart attack, heart failure and complicated heart surgeries.
“We realize that cardiac rehab isn’t a cookie-cutter program, and we create a personalized program for everyone who walks through the door,” said Hershey. “The goal is to empower an individual with a stronger body and mindset, so they can take care of their heart for the rest of their life.”
Unlike the standard Phase 2 form of cardiac rehab, the maintenance program enables patients to exercise without cardiac monitoring, while still having immediate access to therapists and nurses while exercising.
“The focus of the program isallaboutthetransformation from recovery to long-term lifestyle maintenance,” Accaputo said. “Ultimately, the maintenance program creates a balance between independence and safety. And we want our patient to know we’re there for them, every step of the way.”
To learn more about services offered at Texas Health Stephenville, visit https://www.texashealth.org/ Locations/ texas- healthstephenville.