Summa Health offers patients the option of enrolling in clinical trials for the treatment of many diseases, including heart disease and has a vibrant rehab program with a significant component of research that has validated its innovative clinical care practices.
Clinical Research Center
Summa Health offers patients the option of enrolling in clinical trials for the treatment of many diseases, including heart disease. These clinical trials offer patients state-of-the-art care and potential access to the newest treatments.
The Summa Health Clinical Research Center (CRC) is located on the Summa Health System – Akron Campus in the Summa Health East Pavilion at 75 Arch St, Suite 105. The Center supports clinical trials throughout Summa Health. The CRC includes four fully equipped exam rooms for conducting clinical assessments, office space for administrative and clinical staff and a central laboratory. The unit is fully staffed and equipped with all standard medical equipment and medical supplies, and has a central research laboratory that provides specimen collection, processing and shipping to central laboratories as needed.
For additional information regarding the CRC or to arrange a tour, call 330.375.4045.
Center for Cardiopulmonary Research
Cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation are burgeoning areas of clinical care and research. Summa Health has a vibrant rehab program with a significant component of research that has validated its innovative clinical care practices.
In fact, the Center for Cardiopulmonary Research (CCPR) provides the organizational structure, administrative leadership and other necessary infrastructure to facilitate research in cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation, disease management and health. The Center’s activities also extend to related areas of cardiovascular health such as heart failure, implantable cardiac defibrillators, psychosocial and cognitive factors in heart disease, and hypertension.
Specific areas of research focus include:
- Resource utilization and clinical outcomes in cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation
- Psychosocial adaptation to cardiopulmonary illness, physiologic changes and exercise capacity during the rehabilitation process
- Baseline psychological function in rehabilitation participants
- Evaluation of quality of life survey instruments
- Innovative exercise prescription and progression through the use of graphic electronic clinical interfaces (which has recently resulted in the submission of a patent application for Summa)
- Adult health literacy and educational curriculum design, neuro-cognitive function and weight loss among obese cardiac rehabilitation participants
Collaborations exist with Kent State University Departments of Psychology & Exercise Physiology, The University of Akron Departments of Sports Science & Wellness Education, Curricular & Instructional Design and College of Nursing, Case Western Reserve Francis Bolton College of Nursing, and Youngstown State University Department of Human Performance and Exercise Science.
Although cardiopulmonary rehabilitation is critical to addressing the public health problem of cardiopulmonary disease, research in overlapping areas is necessary to fully understand the role of rehabilitation in the healthcare system and to demonstrate how rehabilitation is integral in our nation’s integrated approach to preventing and treating cardiopulmonary disease.
To learn more about the research and education opportunities available at Summa Health, contact us at 330.571.9889. For more on our general involvement with research, sponsored programs and innovation, go to summahealth.org/research.