Patent ID: 8751254

Claim:
A method for tracking physical work load intensities for an associated patient's progression through cardiovascular and/or pulmonary rehabilitation, the method comprising the steps of: providing an electronic database, wherein the database assimilates and processes data relevant to comprehensive assessment and therapeutic rehabilitation of adult patients diagnosed with cardiovascular and/or pulmonary disease; providing an electronic graphic user interface; performing a graded exercise test to determine the associated patient's peak maximal functional work capacity derived via regression formula at volitional peak exertion; providing a data entry portal within the database, wherein the data entry portal enables an associated clinician to enter at least one of the following: the patient's functional work capacity peak, maximal work output via the graded exercise test, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing; electronically determining an initial workload and a training work load goal, based on the functional work capacity; acquiring electronic data from the associated patients' rehabilitation exercises; entering the data into the database; creating an electronic graphical representation of the data, wherein the graphical representation comprises an initial workload goal line and a training exercise goal line; electronically comparing the data with the initial workload and training work load goal; and creating an electronic record of the comparison of the data with the work load goal and training work load goal, wherein the functional work capacity is displayed and measured in units of mean metabolic equivalents (METs) per session, and wherein the initial workload goal and training work load goal are calculated using the following formula: IF: (GXT Session 0) Peak METs ≦ 5 METs THEN: Init Goal (range) = [Value − 1] * [0.4-0.5] Trng. Goal (range) = [Value − 1] * [0.5-0.6] IF: (GXT Session 0) Peak METs > 5 METs THEN: Init Goal (range) = [Value − 1] * [0.5-0.6] Trng. Goal (range) = [Value − 1] * [0.6-0.7].