HealthPark: Cardiac Cath Lab opens
Beginning Monday, patients will begin using the new Cardiac Cath Lab, a 28,500-square-foot space on the second floor of HealthPark Medical Center, for outpatient care.
Once patients exit the elevator and turn right, they will be greeted by guest services at the Cardiac Cath Lab reception desk at the end of the hall. To the left of the reception area is pre-admittance testing where blood work, among other pre-procedure testing will be done by the lab nurses.
Once the patient leaves the front two areas, they enter an open, flowing design that includes everything needed for the cardiology lab in one space. Previously, patients had to visit different areas, which were not under the same space.
“The flow is better,” Cardiac Cath Lab Medial Director Dr. David Bailey said of the new space.
The design, Facilities Management Vice President Dave Kistel said, both flows better and offers a lot of flexibility. The space was designed by staff and physicians and it was important for them to include separate entryways for patients and physicians, creating a calmer atmosphere and more privacy.
Directly behind the reception area is the catheterization lab holding area, and the cardiac observation unit, both equipped with beds, televisions and computer screens providing physicians with the opportunity to sit with a patient and their family while showing them images and results of the procedure through the Lee Memorial Health Systems’ electronic medical record system.
Bailey said now families can be right there at the bedside when images are pulled up on the computer screens.
Cardiac Cath Lab System Director Beth Moss said it’s nice to have the family members in that discussion because the patient may not remember everything that was shared directly after the procedure.
Ten additional patients on any given day can be seen with the new Cardiac Observation Unit.
The space also has state-of-the-art equipment for two catheterization laboratories and one biplane catheterization lab, as well as two electrophysiology labs that are used for heart rhythm problems.
The EP labs have large monitors that have the ability to showcase six images at the same time. Moss said the images can range from X-rays, to cat scans and films previously taken. The EP lab also includes a control room, which is an added feature in the new space. She said now only the patient and nurse are in the lab.
The biplane cath lab, Moss said can take two views at one time, all while using the same amount of contrast or dye as the regular cath lab.
“This is brand new for us,” Moss said.
Large chairs also occupy the space for radial artery procedures, which is done through an artery in the wrist. The procedure has been done in Europe for the past five to 10 years before being introduced to the States three years ago.
HealthPark Medical Center Patient Care Services Vice President Cindy Brown said 24 percent of the cases are done using the radial artery procedure. Patients are typically satisfied with the approach because they can go home in a short period of time following the procedure.
“As long as we can feel a pulse in the wrist we can do” the procedure, Moss said of radial artery.
The free flowing design has 26 holding bays, an increase from 15.
Moss said the great thing about the new space is patients will return to the same lab when having the procedure done a few days later. She said patients will also meet who will be taking care of them on the first visit before the procedure is done.
The construction, which began last June, held a price tag of $13 million to complete the renovated and expanded cardiology department.
The overall space is approximately twice as large as the old space and the labs grew by a third in size.