So I went out on a personal fund raising drive. I managed to solicit one philanthropist in particular who agreed to contribute matching funds if the hospital would contribute. So it became an offer the hospital couldn't refuse. Soon after, the primary insurer of state of Massachusetts employees reviewed the results of a pilot study of lifestyle modification programs and decided that the idea was worthwhile. Change of Heart became the first accredited site in the state.
Cardiologists are a very mixed bag.
It is not politically correct to be non-supportive of lifestyle modification. As a cardiologist, it's really a matter of believing in your patients and getting them to believe in their hearts that lifestyle modification can really influence their health. It also involves believing in your heart that your patient can really make a change that's long lasting and meaningful. That is something that you don't really find overflowing from the cardiology community. They are, however, becoming more comfortable with the concepts as they are accepted into the mainstream.