Gulf Coast Medical Center Expands Cardiology Services
Gulf Coast Medical Center has planned to expand cardiology services for some time.
President and CEO Brian Baumgardner says, "It's something we've heard for years from our physicians, our patients, from the community that they wanted us to provide an alternative here."
Intervention Cardiologist Dines Beat says providing cardiology services takes teamwork and providing care is the most important thing.
It also helps to stay updated on the newest technologies and procedures.
Dr. Beat is now inserting heart catheters through the patient's wrist or radial artery instead of the groin area or femoral artery.
He says, "The reason, femoral is a blind approach, that increases the risk of bleeding. The radial approach minimizes the risk of major bleeding and second is the convenience of the patient is improved."
Frank Springer is one of the first patients to receive the procedure.
He admits, "It looks kind of scary, sticking needles in your veins and stuff, but there was no pain, I would recommend it to anybody."
The hospital is also using iPads to monitor patients' hearts.
Doctors say the procedure will extend Springer's life 10 years.
The chest pain accreditation comes from the society of chest pain centers, an international organization that rates hospitals' efficiency in treating patients, from diagnosis all the way to recovery.
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