Mercy Medical Center Expands Cardiac Services with Construction on New Cath Lab

            New State-of-the-Art Cardiovascular Imaging Technology Will Offer Life-Saving Care Close to Home

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MERCED, CA – March 30, 2021 – Construction began at Dignity Health Mercy Medical Center (MMCM) to expand the hospital’s cardiovascular program with a new state-of-the-art digital imaging catheterization lab (cath lab). A cath lab is a special procedure room where physicians perform tests and procedures to diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease. These procedures involve tiny, flexible tubes called catheters to access the heart and blood vessels. Patients are typically awake during cardiac catheterization and recovery time is generally quick with a low risk of complications. These procedures are performed as an alternative to surgery for some patients and can also be used together with surgery to improve outcomes.

The new cath lab will feature a Phillips Image-guided Therapy System, allowing Mercy’s team of heart and vascular specialists to perform minimally-invasive procedures, including coronary angioplasty, device implants, and other advanced care options to diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease. Additionally, the new lab will enhance the hospital’s interventional radiology (IR) capabilities, allowing board-certified IR experts to utilize minimally-invasive, image-guided procedures to:

    - Place a Dialysis Catheter
    - Treat blockages in the arteries or veins in the legs
    - Treat blocked kidneys
    - Treat blood clots
    - Treat GI (Gastro Intestinal) bleeding

According to the Director of the Cardiac Cath Lab, Judy Long MSN, RN, “Mercy Medical Center’s leaders recognize the importance of having access to state of the art cardiovascular care in our community. Construction of the second catheterization lab is a demonstration of our commitment to providing vital services for the residents of our community, within our community.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in every four deaths results from heart disease, making it the leading cause of death for both men and women. Leading risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking.

The catheterization lab expansion project at Mercy Medical Center is expected to be complete in summer 2021. The addition of a second cath lab will bring us one step closer to being able to care for patients experiencing the most deadly form of a heart attack, STEMI (ST-elevation myocardial infarction). As a STEMI receiving center, Mercy Medical Center will provide prompt, seamless delivery of appropriate treatment without delays caused when a patient must be transferred to another facility for care.

For more information about cardiovascular services at Mercy Medical Center, please contact Communications Manager, Lindsey Wine, at 209.261.5469 or [email protected].