Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does AACVPR provide certification for hybrid and virtual cardiac and pulmonary rehab programs?

A: No. At this time, we only provide certification for center-based adult cardiac and pulmonary rehab programs.

Q: Does AACVPR provide certification for pediatric cardiac and pulmonary rehab programs?

A: No. At this time, we only provide certification for adult populations. Pediatric patients should be excluded from performance measure calculations and programs with pediatric patients should not submit an ITP for a pediatric patient for review as part of the certification process.

Q: Does AACVPR provide certification for SET PAD programs in addition to traditional Cardiac Rehab programs?

A: No. At this time, we only provide certification for Phase II Cardiac Rehab programs.

Q: Is there a specific format for submitted information? For example, is there a specific table or excel in which you would like to receive the information we will be providing?

A: Each page of the application will specify what information to provide and the format it is to be provided in. Many of the pages request the information be uploaded electronically. This will be the only way to submit the requested information.

Many of the pages of the application such as staff competencies, emergency in-services and performance measures require a narrative section to be completed. Please read the application carefully for clear instructions on what and how to submit the narrative information.

Q: What is the data collection period for the 2026 Program Certification Application?

A: The 2026 Program Certification data collection period is January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025.

Q: Our program is new – when can we certify?

A: To apply for certification, a cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation program must have been in operation for a minimum of one full calendar year prior to the date of application beginning January 1, 2025.

Q: Our program has a low volume of patients that are enrolled and complete each year. Is there a minimum number of patients that need to enroll within the program each year to apply for certification?

A: No, we do not have a set patient enrollment volume that programs need to maintain to apply for certification or recertification. We encourage all programs to apply for certification regardless of enrollment volume. If you have volume related questions, please reach out to certification@aacvpr.org.

Q: For certification purposes, are we required to have a registered dietician (RD) to teach nutrition for cardiac and pulmonary rehab, or could we use a MPH to teach nutrition?

A: No. Anyone on the CR/PR staff could present for general nutrition education if they have the training and competency to do so. Keep in mind that all programs should incorporate a multidisciplinary team. Program certification requires a nutrition assessment (screening), intervention and education that can be performed by those who have met the core competencies in that area. Your program can incorporate the ability to refer patients to additional resources, such as a RD for additional education.

Q: What type of staff or staffing model should we have in our program?

A: Program certification does not require staffing disciplines or advise on staffing ratios. Programs are encouraged to have multidisciplinary staff to provide well rounded patient care.

Q: What staff do we include on our staff roster within the program certification application dashboard?

A: You should include the medical director, program director, and all staff members who provide direct and primary patient care who are employed at the time of application submission.

Q: I am having difficulty filling the psychosocial component of both my cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs. How could an RN be utilized for this? What additional qualities/certifications would they need?

A: Anyone on the CR/PR staff could present for general psychosocial education if they have the training and competency to do so. You should have a multidisciplinary team that can be utilized as needed and an ability to refer patients to appropriate clinical resources not included on your team. For certification, you need to complete an individualized assessment, reassessment and discharge, including interventions and your patient’s progress toward their psychosocial goals.

Q: We will be integrated into the area of physical therapy and an employee gym. Does AACVPR state we have to be a separate entity in our own area?

A: Program certification does not require or regulate location or space requirements. You should address needed space for quality, patient care and safety, including ensuring you have the appropriate emergency equipment available.

Q: Our program is currently certified by AACVPR. We are moving/building a new location and we are wondering if there are any steps to complete to maintain our current certification?

A: If you are moving to a new location, please reach out to certification@aacvpr.org. You will need to report your new location information to be updated in the AACVPR program database. If you have had your primary contact or secondary contact for certification change, please complete our Primary Contact Form.

Q: Our program is currently certified by AACVPR. Our hospital is merging with another hospital and our name will be changing but our policies and procedures and location will remain the same. Are there any steps to complete to maintain our current certification?

A: If you are merging facilities, please reach out to certification@aacvpr.org. This new information will be updated in the AACVPR program profile, and any other needed items will be reviewed.

Q: How do we indicate the physician is immediately available?

A: Program certification does not require physician availability; however you should review requirements with your organization’s compliance officer and your local MAC to ensure you are meeting regulatory requirements.

Q: Who can supervise cardiac/pulmonary rehab programs?

A: As of January 1, 2024 program supervision can be completed by physicians and APPs.

Q: Who can sign the ITP?

A: Program certification requires a physician signature at the initial assessment, at least every 30 days thereafter, and at discharge. Your program should have a plan in place for who will take over for your medical director in the case of an absence – physician signatures must still take place at least every 30 days, regardless of your medical director’s schedule.

Q: I would like to know if there are any restrictions to treating cardiac, pulmonary and perhaps maintenance patients at the same time. Are there any problems with “mixing” rehab patients?

A: There are no restrictions on exercising patients with different co-morbidities or mixing any population of patients.

Q: We have both traditional cardiac rehab and intensive cardiac rehab patients. Should ICR patients be included in the application data?

A: Yes, all ICR and traditional patients should be included in the application data.

Q: We have both a cardiac and pulmonary program, do we need to apply for each separately or can we enter them together as one combined unit?

A: Cardiac and pulmonary programs must submit separate applications because there are different application requirements. Please see the appropriate application to review requirements for each.

Q: We have multiple programs within our health system. Do we have to apply separately, or can we apply as one program?

A: Even if programs are under the same health system, each physical location will need to apply for certification separately.

Q: What is a sister program?

A: Sister programs are defined as related sites within the same healthcare system that share emergency preparedness policies, exercise prescription policies, ITP policies, etc. and are due to recertify during the same application window. You will be asked to identify any sister programs within the application platform when submitting your application for certification.

Q: My hospital system has multiple certified programs due for recertification in different years. Is my program allowed to recertify a year early so that next time we will be due in the same year?

A: Yes, you are welcome to recertify early at the recertification rate. However, if a program chooses to delay recertification for this same reason, their certification will lapse, and they would need to submit an initial certification application with a full certification fee to become certified again.

Q: Is it required for each telemetry session to have the tele strips analyzed for PR, QRS, and QT intervals?

A: There are no requirements for the purpose of AACVPR Program certification pertaining to monitoring specifics.

Q: Do all cardiac rehab patients need to be ECG monitored?

A: For program certification, patients are not required to be ECG monitored. Programs should assess patients for their clinical needs and review billing requirements associated with monitored and non-monitored options.

Q: Can I use my telemetry system ITP template for certification?

A: AACVPR does not endorse any ITP templates, and we believe most templates can be used as long as the information entered into the template meets the outlined requirement in the application.

Q: Where would I attain a copy of CMS regulations?

A: Log on to the AACVPR website or AACVPR Central and find “Regulatory & Legislative” information/updates under the Advocate/Advocacy menu. Next, find “Final Medicare Rules for CR and PR.” You would also be able to get a copy of the CMS regulations specific to cardiac and/or pulmonary rehab from the billing specialist at your facility.

Q: How should we utilize the risk stratification guidelines into our program?

A: Risk Stratification is not a requirement that you submit documentation for as part of the certification application. That does not mean that you should remove it from your program. You should be risk stratifying your patients to determine clinical monitoring needs, potential for adverse events and risk factors as outlined in the AACVPR Guidelines.

Q: Are there guidelines regarding the cleaning of exercise equipment?

A: The certification process does not have a requirement for equipment cleaning (although we know it is a very important procedure!). Consult your Infection Prevention Specialist at your facility for advice on State and Facility guidelines regarding equipment cleaning, hand washing, and other infection prevention standards that you may need to follow.

Q: How do I pay for my application? Can I pay by check, credit card, and/or purchase order?

A: AACVPR does not accept Purchase Orders. AACVPR Program Certification does allow check payments and credit card payments. To pay for your application by credit card or print off an invoice to pay by check, please visit the Payment page of your application. The payment page of your application has a printable invoice that you will need to send along with your check payment.

Please note: If you would like to pay by credit card after you have already selected paying by check, please contact certification@aacvpr.org. We will then change your payment method to credit card and notify you by email.

Q: Can I submit my application before payment has been applied?

A: Yes. We strongly recommend verifying with your accounting department that payment has been postmarked by no later than February 28th. All payments must be postmarked by no later than February 28th.

Q: How can I check if my payment has been applied to my application?

A: In your Program Certification Dashboard, click on My Account. Then click on the “Payment History” section of your application. On that page, you can see if your program still owes money. If your application still has a balance left, we have not received your payment yet. If you would like to contact us about this payment, please call us at (312) 321-5146 with the check number and the date the payment was cashed.

Q: How do I submit my forms and documentation for my program's application?

A: All documentation for AACVPR Program Certification must be uploaded to the application platform. If your program's records are not digital, you will need to scan all necessary documentation into your computer and upload it to your application from your computer. AACVPR no longer accepts emailed or faxed documentation for applications.

Q: What types of files can be uploaded to the application?

A: Only PDF formats are allowed. Please reach out to your facility's IT team if you need help changing the format of a file.

Q: How do I add myself as the new Primary Contact for my program?

A: If your program’s primary contact needs to be updated or created, please complete our Primary Contact Form. Our Certification Team will then make the necessary updates to your program records, and they will also provide you with additional information to help you prepare for your application year. If you have issues, please contact certification@aacvpr.org.

Q: Do I still need to add all of my staff to my program roster in advance of the application opening?

A: No, we now only request that programs ensure they have their Primary and Secondary Contacts identified within their program’s roster within the AACVPR website. The rest of the roles will only need to be added into the application itself.

Q: No matter what I do, I can’t get any of the informational videos about the application to load, what should I do?

A: AACVPR has created extensive video formats that should play across any web browser. If none of the links to different video formats work for you, please contact your hospital’s IT department. Some hospitals also use old versions of Internet Explorer that don’t support our videos. Please try to see if your hospital will allow you to download Google Chrome as a web browser for you to use for viewing the informational videos.

Q: How do I update my program’s demographic information (enrollment size, full time employee count, etc) within my program’s profile?

A: Detailed instructions on how to update your program’s demographic information can be found in the Step‑by‑Step Guide to Updating Your Program’s Demographic Information. If you have any trouble making the updates, please contact our team at certification@aacvpr.org.

Q: Do primary and secondary contacts need to be listed twice in the roster – once in their contact role and once in their organizational role?

A: Yes, but the system will allow you to assign someone with multiple roles when you add them to your roster within the application so you won’t need to create separate listings for the same person.

Q: Is it acceptable to have multiple medical directors on our roster?

A: Yes, there is no requirement for program certification to only have one medical director. For your roster, you will only need to list regular medical directors – you can leave off fill‑in medical directors.

Q: I finished the Staff Competencies section, but the page is not being marked as complete – am I doing something wrong?

A: Please double check to make sure that all the following are complete: 1) Are you missing any required roles in your roster? 2) Are True/False responses listed for the “reports to director” and “provides direct patient care” questions for ALL staff on the roster? 3) Are dates listed for all the staff with marked check boxes?

Q: I am the Program Director for my program, but I also provide direct patient care. Will I need to provide staff competencies?

A: Yes – if you provide direct patient care, you will need to report competencies.

Q: Do I still need an administrator on my staff roster within the application?

A: No, starting with the 2024 application, you no longer need to list your program’s administrator.

Q: What information do I need to enter in the text boxes in the Staff Competencies section of the application?

A: For each submitted competency, describe in detail how you determined staff is competent in this area. This description must include the objectives and the specific tool or method used for assessment. Simply stating “return demonstration” or “post‑test” is not sufficient.

Q: I have my team complete a quiz after reading an article related to staff competencies. Do I need to include the full quiz?

A: No, please do not submit the full quiz. Please clearly describe the tool or method you use to determine how staff are competent.

Q: Is ACLS/BLS accepted on the Staff Competencies page?

A: ACLS/BLS do not qualify as a competency. Competencies need to align with the knowledge and skills from the competency documents referenced in the application.

Q: Do we need to submit Staff Competencies for employees who worked during the application year but are no longer on staff?

A: No. Submission of Staff Competencies is only required for staff who worked in your program during the data collection period and remain on staff at the time of application submission.

Q: How should we handle part‑time staff?

A: If they provide direct patient care, they need to have competencies submitted regardless of role or FTE status. All staff need to complete at least four different competencies.

Q: How have the ITP requirements changed? Where can I find a template based on the current requirements?

A: ITP requirements can be found in the certification application. AACVPR does not endorse any ITP format and we believe most formats can be used as long as they include all required elements, steps and individualized patient information outlined in the application. The ITP Checklist document also outlines the required elements and steps.

Q: Can we submit session reports with the ITP?

A: Daily exercise session notes, assessment tools, letters to physicians, flow sheet row data, etc. will not be accepted as part of the ITP and will result in denial of the page.

Q: Is the physician still required to sign and date the ITP?

A: The physician is required to review, sign and date the initial ITP and at least every 30 calendar days thereafter, including at discharge.

Q: Can a mid‑level (APRN or PA) sign the ITP?

A: No. The ITP needs to be signed by a physician at least every 30 days.

Q: We have a very low volume for our performance measures. Do programs still need to have at least 30 patients complete for the measures?

A: No. There is not a volume requirement for certification purposes. 100% patients that meet the inclusion criteria should be included in your performance measure.

Q: What is included in the new Enrollment and Adherence Performance Measures?

A: The new Enrollment and Adherence performance measures were first included as part of the 2024 Program Certification Application. All programs applying for certification or recertification will be expected to report on these measures.

Q: Should I include my hybrid or virtual patients in Performance Measure calculations?

A: Only center‑based patients should be included as part of the performance measure calculations.

Q: Do we need to report performance measures every year?

A: Programs will need to report performance measure data annually through the Annual Report process. Programs are encouraged to continually evaluate performance data and complete process improvements.

Q: Who needs to complete the Annual Report?

A: All certified programs that do not actively have their application under review will need to complete the annual report. AACVPR requests completion of the annual report each year to ensure that programs stay up to date with application changes.

For the 2026 Annual Report, programs expiring in 2027 or 2028 must complete the report. For the 2027 Annual Report, programs expiring in 2028 or 2029 must complete the report.

Q: When is the Annual Report available?

A: The Annual Report is available between April and July each year. Notification is sent to Primary Contacts when the report becomes available. Program Certification Primary and Secondary Contacts will be able to access the report during this window.

Programs are encouraged to complete the annual report to stay informed of changes planned for upcoming application windows.

Q: Will programs need to report Performance Measure data for the 2026 and 2027 Annual Reports?

A: Yes. All programs will be asked to report performance measure data from the previous year. For the 2026 Annual Report, programs will report data collected between January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025. For the 2027 Annual Report, programs will report data collected between January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026.

Q: Where can I view a list of changes to the 2026 Program Certification Application?

A: In addition to highlighting changes in the 2026 Program Certification Application PDFs, AACVPR provides a 2026 Application Change Summary document. This document offers a high‑level overview of changes made for the 2026 application.