Cardiac Catheterization Lab

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St. Joseph’s four cardiac catheterization labs and one hybrid cath lab/OR provide a variety of special features. Three labs are dedicated to adult diagnostic and interventional procedures. These include:

  • Angioplasty and stenting, both electively and emergently with interventional procedures
  • Diagnostic testing for valve surgery and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedures
  • Diagnosis and advanced treatment of peripheral vascular disease
  • Structural heart disease

A fourth lab is dedicated to electrophysiology (EP) procedures. This area allows physicians to conduct AV node ablations with 3-D mapping as well as supraventricular tachycardiac (SVT) ablations and atrial fibrillation ablations. In addition, there is EP testing for device implants such as pacemakers and internal cardiac defibrillators.

Quality Cardiac Catheterization

The Cath Lab has implemented a number of practices to ensure quality and continuity of care:

  • The Emergency Department (ED) can activate the Cath Lab when a patient with emergent needs comes into the hospital. The Cath Lab team also has immediate access to the ED’s electronic medical records to assess the patient’s condition.
  • A successful program has been implented for rapid treatment of acute myocardial infarction, achieving a "door to balloon" time and an open artery in 90 minutes or less.
  • Cath Lab activation can be accomplished within 20 to 30 minutes of contact.
  • Support from executive hospital leadership and board certified cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons specializing in the treatment of heart, thoracic and vascular medicine to ensure ongoing quality improvement.
  • The Cardiac Quality Committee meets monthly to review cases and procedures. The committee is a multidisciplinary team that includes cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, emergency physicians, all areas of cardiac nursing staff, CV patient educators, clinical pharmacists, case management and communications.
  • The Cath Lab consistently scores high on national and hospital-based quality indicators.