среда, 19 сентября 2012 г.

The Childrens Hospital at St. Marys Medical Center Receives Approval for Pediatric Open-Heart Surgery / Cardiac Catheterization Programs. - Heart Disease Weekly

The Children's Hospital at St. Mary's Medical Center will soon bring the medical miracle of pediatric open-heart surgery to Palm Beach County, following the recent approval of its Pediatric Open-Heart Surgery/Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization Programs by Florida's Agency for Healthcare Administration. This key approval allows the medical and surgical specialists of St. Mary's to treat pediatric cardiac conditions and perform interventional procedures and open heart surgeries. No other hospital in Florida has received such approval in over 25 years (see also Pediatrics).

Already established as the largest and most experienced provider of pediatric hospital services between Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, the Children's Hospital at St. Mary's has 202 pediatricians, specialty and subspecialty physicians who are on staff and dedicated to responding to the needs of newborns, neonates and children.

'St. Mary's is already a provider of extensive maternal, neonatal and pediatric services, and the approval of our Pediatric Open-Heart Surgery and Cardiac Catheterization Programs only further raises the standard of care for babies and children here in Palm Beach County,' said Harry Bayron, MD, Chief of Pediatric Cardiology at St. Mary's Medical Center. 'We're very proud to soon offer our residents access to the highest quality of pediatric cardiac care. Now families will no longer need to travel to Miami-Dade or Broward Counties to receive care.'

The hospital will soon undergo a renovation project to expand its space to meet the needs of the new program, which is anticipated to launch within the next 12 months. This project represents a capital investment of approximately $4.6 million and will include the purchase of medical and surgical cardiac equipment, expansion of an existing surgical suite and addition of one bed in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). The existing PICU has 13 beds, which will be increased to 14 by the completion of the renovation project.

'For over 70 years, the Children's Hospital at St. Mary's Medical Center has strived to become the hospital of choice for those families seeking medical excellence and high-quality care, not only here in South Florida, but around the world,' said Davide Carbone, St. Mary's Medical Center Chief Executive Officer. 'The milestone addition of these pediatric cardiac programs truly reinforces our commitment to improving the health of our community by offering our patients access to the best possible care and innovative services available in Palm Beach County and across the country.'

Procedures for the Pediatric Catheterization Program will be performed in the St. Mary's newest Interventional Suite, which is equipped with the latest in diagnostic and therapeutic clinical equipment. Featuring the Innova 3131 digital flat panel biplane imaging system from GE Healthcare, the Interventional Suite is essential for pediatric cardiac catheterization procedures and the examination of congenital abnormalities because children have smaller hearts and blood vessels and the specialists who treat them need special equipment. During these procedures, catheters can carry patches to repair holes in the heart, coils to close blood vessels, 'balloons' to open restricted vessels or heart valves and metal tubes called stents to keep vessels open. The highly detailed images and exceptional biplane flexibility of the Innova 3131 make it possible for St. Mary's specialists to perform cardiovascular, neurointerventional radiology and general interventional radiology imaging nee!

ds as well.

The Children's Hospital at St. Mary's Medical Center is the only hospital in the Palm Beaches and the Treasure Coast that's devoted exclusively to children and their unique needs. The Children's Hospital offers a wide array of specialized services to help all children lead healthier, happier lives. For more information, please visit www.stmarysmc.com.

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About St. Mary's Medical Center

St. Mary's Medical Center is a 463-bed acute care hospital located at 901 45th Street in West Palm Beach. The hospital has been serving the medical and health care needs of the greater West Palm Beach area for 70 years. St. Mary's Medical Center offers a broad array of services, including medical, surgical, obstetrics, pediatrics, orthopedics, trauma and emergency services. St. Mary's specialty services include a pediatric trauma center, 24-hour children's emergency department, pediatric intensive care unit, high-risk obstetrical unit, Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Children's Hospital at St. Mary's, the Rehabilitation Institute, and the Memory Disorders Center. St. Mary's Medical Center is fully accredited by the Joint Commission, the nation's oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency. To learn more about St. Mary's Medical Center, visit www.stmarysmc.com.

Media Contact: Tracy Longin of Boardroom Communications at Phone: 954-370-8999, Fax: 954-370-8892 or email tlongin@boardroompr.com, for St. Mary's Medical Center.

Keywords: Cardiology, Heart Catheterization, Heart Surgery, Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatrics.

This article was prepared by Heart Disease Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Heart Disease Weekly via NewsRx.com.