A new cardiac cath lab at Roxborough Memorial Hospital will give residents of Roxborough and surrounding communities faster access to the highest standard of cardiac care.

On September 23rd, Roxborough Memorial Hospital opened a fully-operational cardiac catheterization laboratory (cath lab), providing clinically complex care to critically ill heart patients. Services offered include cardiac catheterization, angioplasty, stenting, intravascular ultrasound, and Impella®, a treatment to improve blood flow in heart failure patients requiring care in the lab.

Roxborough Memorial Hospital was awarded Corazon for Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in September based on rigorous onsite evaluation of the staff’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients who come to the cardiac cath lab.

“Faster access to the highest standard of cardiac care means more immediate, life-saving diagnoses and treatments for residents of Roxborough and surrounding communities,” said Dr. Patrick Lenahen, chief medical officer of Roxborough Memorial Hospital. "The new cath lab will allow us to expand services in the community and the entire region we serve,”

“We are proud to offer a full range of cardiac care services to our community including diagnostics, interventional cardiology, peripheral vascular procedures, and emergency care.” 

Cardiac cath labs are used for a variety of purposes, but most fall into one of two categories. The first is for elective procedures—procedures that are planned. The second is for emergent procedures—unplanned emergencies, like heart attacks, where immediate intervention is required. For emergent cases, getting to the cardiac cath lab quickly is crucial.

“Opening this new cath lab means that members of our community do not have to travel to other facilities to receive comprehensive cardiac care when they need it quickly” said Kelly Cummings, chief nursing officer of Roxborough Memorial Hospital. “Every minute counts when a patient has a heart attack, and now, procedures that might have been performed at hospitals farther away can be done right here in Roxborough. We are pleased to be able to keep high quality cardiovascular care close to home for those we serve.”

“Every minute counts when a patient has a heart attack, and now, procedures that might have been performed at hospitals farther away can be done right here in Roxborough. We are pleased to be able to keep high quality cardiovascular care close to home for those we serve.”

The benefits of catheter-based procedures to patients can include shorter hospital stays, reduced recovery time without the pain of a large incision, and less visible scarring. The new cath lab at Roxborough Memorial Hospital provides 24-hour support, seven days a week. 

“It’s estimated that one person dies from cardiovascular disease every 37 seconds in America, meaning that advancements to diagnose and treat these conditions are critical,” said Dr. Joseph D. Hellman, an interventional cardiologist with Tri-County Cardiology and primary proceduralist of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Roxborough Memorial Hospital. “Our new cath lab here at Roxborough Memorial Hospital allows us to provide timely and more complex cardiovascular treatments to patients seeking care right in their own community.”

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Also coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease, killing 365,914 people in 2017.

Roxborough Memorial Hospital’s new cath lab will begin treating patients immediately and they’ll now be welcomed to the hospital in a new lobby designed to be more inviting to the community.

“This truly signals the beginning of a new century of healthcare for our community and the entire region we serve,” Cummings said. “The new cath lab demonstrates our commitment to investing in the hospital to enhance services and meet the needs of our growing community for generations to come.”

“The new cath lab demonstrates our commitment to investing in the hospital to enhance services and meet the needs of our growing community for generations to come.”

For more information about Roxborough Memorial Hospital’s cardiology services visit: https://www.roxboroughmemorial.com/our-services/cardiology-services/