Temporary closure of Heart Center entrance

Beginning Aug. 2, the St. Francis Heart Center main entrance will temporarily close due to the inpatient construction construction. The Heart Center patient and visitor access will temporarily shift to the Women & Children’s Services entrance, located just south of the Heart Center. Heart Center staff and volunteers will be in the Women & Children’s Services lobby providing directions and assistance.

The entrance closure should only last 45 days or less, and we are working to ensure you continue to have convenient access to the Heart Center.

Parking remains available in both the Heart Center and Women & Children’s parking lots.

(Download a parking map.)

A free shuttle service is offered Monday through Friday from 4:45 a.m. to 9 p.m. To call the shuttle directly, please call 416-8725.

We apologize for any inconvenience the construction may cause and appreciate your cooperation during this time of transition. If you have any questions or concerns, please call 851-1580.

St. Francis heart surgeon explains murmurs, complex valve repair

MOORESVILLE, Ind. – It is estimated that more than 5 million Americans suffer from some form of heart valve disease and can cause heart damage without symptoms.

At a Tuesday, Feb. 23 program at the Mooresville Public Library, 220 W. Harrison St., Marc Gerdisch, M.D., will explain how heart valves cause murmurs and when it’s time to seek treatment. The event, which is free to the public, begins at 6:30 p.m.

Gerdisch is the medical director of cardiothoracic surgery at the St. Francis Heart Center, a partner of Cardiac Surgery Associates and the co-director of the St. Francis Heart Valve Center at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers.

Gerdisch was the first in the world to use technology that allows patients to rebuild their own cardiovascular tissue. He also will discuss how the revolutionary technology can be used to modify and repair cardiac structures, allowing heart tissue to re-grow inside the beating hearts of patients.

To learn more about Gerdisch’s work go to www.cardiactissuerepair.net.

Valves inside the heart that do not open or close properly cause heart murmurs. People can live with heart murmurs a long time without any symptoms. In fact, the heart can suffer considerable damage from heart valve disease before symptoms become noticeable. Heart failure may result from longstanding or sudden onset of valve disease.
“A heart murmur does not necessarily signal a problem,” said Gerdisch. “Many murmurs are harmless; however, their relationship to the valves needs to be understood, and they require follow-up to ensure that heart continues to function normally.”
Attendees also may be eligible for a free valvular echo screening.

“Imaging the heart with sound waves, allows us to monitor the impact of valve disease on the heart and therefore treat it at the right time,” Gerdisch said. “There has been considerable innovation in heart valve treatment, including our ability to repair valves instead of replacing them.”

To register for the program, go to www.heartattackcare.net, or call 317-782-4422.
The Mooresville Public Library is located at 220 W. Harrison St.

And the beat goes on: St. Francis doc explains abnormal heart rhythms

INDIANAPOLIS – Ever wonder why some folks feel their heart racing and experience lightheadedness? It’s likely cause is irregular heart rhythms, and that’s the topic for the latest installment in the Ask-the-Doc series sponsored by the St. Francis Heart Center.

Electrophysiologist Robert Kinn, M.D., of Indiana Heart Physicians, will explain atrial fibrillation and other irregular heart rhythms and treatment choices 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 16. He also will discuss the latest minimally invasive options for patients.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disturbance, affecting more than 2.3 million Americans.

The class, which is free to the public, will meet in the St. Francis Heart Center’s community center near entrance No. 1, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

To register or for more information, call 317-782-4422, or go on-line at www.stfrancishospitals.org/heart and go to the “classes & events” link.

Heart Center offers free heart-healthy courses throughout September

INDIANAPOLIS – Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the American Heart Association.

Prevention is the key to lowering your chances of developing a cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease, stroke or high blood pressure. St. Francis Heart Center is offering free classes throughout the month of September in an effort to improve the community’s health through education and prevention.

Starting Sept. 2, nine free “Change of Heart” classes will be offered in the Indianapolis and Mooresville areas. Several of the classes will be held at the St. Francis Heart Center’s Community Center, located on the southeast corner of St. Francis Hospital – Indianapolis, 8111 S. Emerson Ave. Attendees will learn from St. Francis health experts about navigating the grocery store for healthy foods, choosing healthy entrées when dining out and many more heart-healthy habits. Each Change of Heart class is 1 to 1 ½ hours long.

Registration is required. Call 317-782-4422 or register online at StFrancisHospitals.org/heart to start living a heart-healthy life today.

The St. Francis Heart Center offers nationally recognized cardiac care close to where you need it – on Indianapolis’ south side. Built on a 30-year history of cardiac and vascular care, St. Francis Heart Center is south central Indiana’s only full-service cardiovascular center.

Change of Heart Class Schedule
See below for a detailed description of each course
Healthy Eating
Tuesday, September 2, at 6:30 p.m.
St. Francis Heart Center – Community Center, 8111 S. Emerson Ave,

Thursday, September 18, at 6:30 p.m.
St. Francis Hospital – Mooresville, 1201 Hadley Rd.

Reduce Stress
Wednesday, September 3, at 6:30 p.m.
St. Francis Heart Center – Community Center, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

Healthy Cooking Tips
Tuesday, September 9, at 6:30 p.m.
St. Francis Heart Center – Community Center, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

Dining Out
Thursday, September 11, at 6:30 p.m.
St. Francis Heart Center – Community Center, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

Healthy Shopping Tour
Tuesday, September 16, at 6:30 p.m.
Kroger – Madison, 5911 Madison & Edgewood avenues

Meatless Cooking
Wednesday, September 24, at 6:30 p.m.
St. Francis Heart Center – Community Center, 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

Exercise Tips
Thursday, September 25, at 6:30 p.m.
St. Francis Heart Center – Community Center, 8111 S. Emerson Avenue

Detailed Descriptions for Change of Heart Classes offered by the St. Francis Heart Center

Healthy Eating
For some, diets don’t work! Learn about healthy lifestyles in this class. Find out how much a “serving” is and how to manage a healthy weight. Discover how fats, carbohydrates and protein affect your body. Do you know how much salt, fiber and sugar are in the foods you buy? This class offers the foundation for the remaining classes in the series.
Reduce Stress
Discover just how big an impact stress has on your heart health. Negative stress causes changes in lifestyle and behavior, which may lead to unhealthy behaviors. Managing stress is important to heart health because untreated stress increases other risk factors for heart disease, such as obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insomnia, depression, smoking and lack of exercise. Learn to identify the causes of stress in your life and how to improve your health! “Reduce Stress 102” is the second class in this series. Both classes are taught by James Nicolai, M.D., medical director of the Franciscan Center for Integrative Health.

Healthy Cooking Tips
A heart-healthy lifestyle means more than choosing the right foods to eat. It is one of the most important steps for a person with heart disease. It's also important to prepare foods in a healthy way. Proper nutrition is essential to managing symptoms of heart disease and preventing further complications. Not only can a proper diet help slow the artery-clogging process, but when combined with careful lifestyle modification, it may even stop or reverse the narrowing of arteries.

Dining Out
Restaurant dining has become a way of life for most Americans. It's easy, fun, and a great way to socialize with family and friends. Just because you're following a structured eating plan doesn't mean you can't enjoy a nice meal out once in a while. Controlling calories when dining out is certainly challenging. You just need a little advance planning and some savvy ordering skills to stay on track when you're dining away from home. Learn how to make wise menu selections for a change of heart.

Healthy Shopping Tour
Shop for the health of it, but don't let the grocery aisles rile you. Does your head spin trying to figure out food labels like no carb, low carb and net carb? Are you confused by claims like no sugar added, light, low and fewer? Does your tongue get twisted trying to pronounce food label ingredients? Deciphering what's good for you doesn't have to raise your blood pressure. The St. Francis Heart Center and Kroger want to help simplify and de-stress the healthy food-buying experience.

Healthy Shopping Tours, led by a registered dietitian and/or certified health educator, help lessen the confusion and frustration experienced by many people who are trying to make healthy choices at the grocery store. Our dietitians and health educators understand how vital it is for you to learn how to choose correctly. Exercise is critical, but your diet determines your ability to lose weight, get fit and be healthy.

Meatless Cooking
Reverse heart disease by eating more! Going meatless just one day a week can lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer. Adding more fiber is easy with new products on the market. This class will help you with menu planning and recipes, and you’ll have the chance to sample food prepared during the session.

Exercise Tips
Keep Your Ticker in Tip Top Shape! The human heart is a remarkable machine. And like all machines, the more care and maintenance it receives, the longer and better it will function. Incorporating regular exercise and proper diet into your lifestyle and avoiding unnecessary stress will not only keep healthy hearts in fine working order, but can even reverse heart disease. There are lots of little things that you can do every day that your heart will love you for. Learn how to setup a schedule for yourself!

Anthony Bashall joins Indiana Heart Physicians at St. Francis

INDIANAPOLIS – Cardiologist Anthony J. Bashall, M.D., has established a practice at the Indiana Heart Physicians at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers.

Bashall is board-certified in internal medicine and board-eligible in cardiovascular disease by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He has privileges at St. Francis hospitals in Indianapolis, Beech Grove and Mooresville, and has courtesy privileges at Morgan County Hospital in Martinsville and William S. Major Hospital in Shelbyville

A native of Great Britain, Bashall comes to IHP after completing a fellowship at the Krannert Institute of Cardiology and a residency and internship at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

Bashall is a 2001 graduate of the IU School of Medicine and earned his bachelor degree in management science marketing at Lancaster University in England.

He holds professional memberships with the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association and American Medical Association.

The Indiana Heart Physicians has served the residents of south central Indiana with the highest quality cardiovascular care since 1978. To learn more about IHP and its physicians and services, go to www.ihpmd.com.

John W. Moore III joins Indiana Heart Physicians at St. Francis

INDIANAPOLIS – John “Trey” W. Moore III, M.D., has established a practice at the Indiana Heart Physicians at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers.

Moore is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease by the American Board of Internal Medicine and currently is in the process of completing certification in clinical cardiac electrophysiology.

He has privileges at St. Francis hospitals in Indianapolis, Beech Grove and Mooresville, and has courtesy privileges at Morgan County Hospital in Martinsville and William S. Major Hospital in Shelbyville.

Moore comes to St. Francis after completing cardiology and clinical cardiac electrophysiology fellowships at the University of Pittsburgh. He also completed a residency at the Indiana University School of Medicine, where he received his medical degree in 2000 and his undergraduate degree in physics in 1996.

He holds professional memberships in the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association and the American Medical Association.

The Indiana Heart Physicians has served the residents of south central Indiana with the highest quality cardiovascular care since 1978. To learn more about IHP and its physicians and services, go to www.ihpmd.com

St. Francis Hospital earns renewed accreditation as Chest Pain Center

INDIANAPOLIS – St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers has been recognized by the Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC) for exceeding quality-of-care measures in acute cardiac medicine.

St. Francis recently received renewed accreditation as a Chest Pain Center and full Cycle II accreditation with PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention). This designates St. Francis as providing around-the-clock services from its heart catheterization labs to the community.

The hospital received its first accreditation in 2005, the first hospital in greater Indianapolis to receive that designation.

The accreditation is the result of on-site evaluations by a SCPC review team, which measures how well physicians perform in reducing time to treatment during the critical early stages of a heart attack and to better monitor patients when it’s not clear whether they are having a coronary event.

Such observations helps ensure that patients are neither sent home too early nor needlessly admitted.

Key areas in which the St. Francis demonstrated expertise:

Integrating the emergency department with the local emergency medical system
-- Assessing, diagnosing, and treating patients quickly
-- Effectively treating patients with low risk for acute coronary syndrome and no assignable cause for their symptoms
-- Continually seeking to improve processes and procedures
-- Ensuring Chest Pain Center personnel competency and training
-- Maintaining organizational structure and commitment
-- Having a functional design that promotes optimal patient care
-- Supporting community outreach programs that educate the public to promptly seek medical care if they display symptoms of a possible heart attack

Heart attacks are the leading cause of death in the United States, with 600,000 dying annually of heart disease. More than five million Americans visit hospitals each year with chest pain.

The goal of the Society of Chest Pain Centers is to significantly reduce the mortality rate of these patients by teaching the public to recognize and react to the early symptoms of a possible heart attack, reduce the time that it takes to receive treatment, and increase the accuracy and effectiveness of treatment.

Playing a key role earning St. Francis the accreditation is the development of its Emergency Heart Attack Response Team, a first-of-its-kind approach which has dramatically reduced the time patients receive lifesaving care at the St. Francis Heart Center after arriving at the emergency department with chest pain.

The EHART protocol – which has garnered much attention from the international medical community – has proven how hospitals can improve their care of heart attack patients and generate savings in health-care costs.

To learn more about EHART, go to www.heartattackcare.net. More information about the Society of Chest Centers can be found at www.scpcp.org.

St. Francis Hospital participates in unique heart recovery clinical trial

INDIANAPOLIS – Heart attack patients and others with coronary conditions may benefit from a catheter-based pump device being evaluated in a clinical trial now under way at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers.

The device is the Impella 2.5, developed by the Massachusetts-based Abiomed Inc. St. Francis is one of the few medical facilities to participate in the PROTECT II trial, the second Food and Drug Administration-approved trial for prophylactic preventive use of the device during non-emergent high-risk coronary intervention procedures.

“We are please to participate in the pivotal PROTECT II trial and we look forward to improving the treatment of high-risk patients,” said principal investigator William J. Berg, M.D., of the Indiana Heart Physicians and St. Francis Heart Center. “The Impella offers physicians a minimally invasive breakthrough technology in cardiac treatment and we’re excited to further demonstrate its effectiveness in this secondary trial.”

The current trial follows Abiomed’s previous PROTECT I trial, which yielded successful results for the ease-of-use and safety of the device, according to company officials.

The Impella 2.5, the world's smallest ventricular assist device (VAD), provides patients with up to 2.5 liters of blood flow per minute. It’s been used to treat more than 1,000 patients in Europe who have had heart attacks and cardiogenic shock, a condition in which a weakened heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.

The trial was approved earlier this year by institutional review board, which oversees all clinical investigations conducted at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers.

To be eligible for the study, patients must have a left main lesion, only one remaining vessel open, or have triple vessel disease. They also must have a low ejection fraction (below 30 percent or 35 percent, depending on their other qualifying traits).

For more information about the trial, contact Kathy Lawson at 317-851-2582.

More details about the Abiomed’s Impella 2.5 device can be found at www.abiomed.com/products/impella.cfm.

The St. Francis Heart Center is a state-of-the-art facility and the only full-service cardiac and vascular care program on Indianapolis’ south side. For more information about its services go to www.stfrancishospitals.org/Heart.

Editors/Reporters: Still images and DVD B-roll are available

St. Francis cardiologist explains heart valves, murmurs, May 27

MOORESVILLE, Ind. – Have you or a family member been diagnosed with a heart murmur? Are you unsure about what that means?

At an upcoming “Ask the Doc” program sponsored by the St. Francis Heart Center on Tuesday, May 27, cardiothoracic surgeon Marc Gerdisch, M.D., will explain why it is important to understand how heart valves may cause murmurs and when it’s time to seek treatment.

Gerdisch is the medical director of Cardiac Surgery Associates in Indianapolis.

Heart murmurs are caused by valves inside the heart that do not close properly. Sometimes, people can live with heart murmurs a long time without any symptoms. But if the problem becomes more serious, the blood flow to the heart may be affected.

Surgery, including heart valve repairs and valve replacement, can correct the condition and prevent heart failure.

The free, hour-long program starts at 6:30 p.m. at Swisher Center, St. Francis Hospital-Mooresville, 1201 Hadley Rd. To register, call 317-782-4422.

St. Francis surgeon explains heart murmurs at Greenwood library

GREENWOOD, Ind. – Have you or a family member been diagnosed with a heart murmur? Are you unsure about what that means?

At an upcoming “Ask the Doc” program sponsored by the St. Francis Heart Center on Monday, April 14, cardiothoracic surgeon Marc Gerdisch, M.D., will explain why it is important to understand why heart valves may cause murmurs and when it’s time to seek treatment. Gerdisch is the medical director of Cardiac Surgery Associates in Indianapolis.

Heart murmurs are caused by valves inside the heart that don’t close properly. Sometimes, people can live with heart murmurs a long time without any symptoms. But if the problem becomes more serious, the blood flow to the heart may be affected.

Surgery, including heart valve repairs and valve replacement, can correct the condition and prevent heart failure.

The free, hour-long program starts at 6:30 p.m. at the White River Public Library 1664 Library Blvd., Greenwood.

To register, call 317-782-4422.

Midwest Heart Valve Center offers unique, full spectrum of care to patients

INDIANAPOLIS – Research shows that if a person with a heart valve condition is followed on a regular basis by a specialist, treatment can prevent damage to the heart.

That’s the thrust behind the newly established Midwest Heart Valve Center – the only center in central Indiana where all the patients’ needs are met for heart valve disease, with specially trained physicians and staff experienced in the diagnosis, treatment, repair and replacement of heart valves.

The center pools the expertise of physicians at the St. Francis Heart Center, in collaboration with Indiana Heart Physicians and Cardiac Surgery Associates. The center’s day-to-day team is A. O. Akinwande, M.D.; Marc W. Gerdisch, M.D.; Mark A. Jones, M.D.; Monica Khot, M.D.; Umesh Khot, M.D., Irwin Labin, M.D.; Richard Shea, M.D.; Nicola Francalancia, M.D.; and Manesh Parikshak, M.D.

Valves are leaflets in the heart that allow for proper blood flow between heart chambers. Heart valve disease occurs when a valve either fails to open properly or fails to close completely. The sounds created by these abnormalities are commonly referred to as “murmurs.”

Services at the center include a multidisciplinary clinic at Indiana Heart, offering echocardiography, evaluation by heart valve specialists, patient education, and dental recommendations. Each patient leaves with a personalized care plan.

The American College of Cardiology Guidelines for Heart Valve Disease makes it clear that patients should be referred for repair of the mitral valve instead of replacement whenever possible.

St. Francis has ensured that people have access to these life extending treatments. Repair is the most frequently performed mitral valve surgery at St Francis.

According to St. Francis medical experts, it is easier to replace the valve, but when a person has a valve replacement, they have to deal with the long term risks of the replacement, including stroke, lifelong anti-coagulation for mechanical valves and valve deterioration for biologic valves. When surgery is timed properly and the valve is repaired, these issues are avoided and the person can be restored to a normal life expectancy.

Valve disease can cause damage to the heart before a person notices any symptoms. It is important that anyone with a valve that does not function normally is followed appropriately. The Midwest Heart Valve Center provides patients ongoing follow-up and care plan adjustments to ensure that their hearts remain healthy.

More information about the Midwest Heart Valve Center is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/heart. Those interested also can call toll-free, 1-877-788-2583.

St. Francis Heart Center surgeon uses ‘cool’ laser to treat arterial blockages

INDIANAPOLIS – A patient with severe peripheral artery disease has been successfully treated with a new minimally invasive procedure performed for the first time at the St. Francis Heart Center.

Cardiologist William J. Berg, M.D., recently performed the laser ablation procedure using a device developed by Spectranetics, a Colorado Springs-based manufacturer of cardiovascular treatment equipment.

Laser ablation is a procedure that eliminates blockages within peripheral arteries in a patient’s legs. It uses an excimer, or "cool" laser that produces pulsed bursts of light energy transmitted along flexible glass fibers encased in catheters. The device is easily passed through arteries and veins.

Light energy is then focused on the blockages and vaporizes them into tiny particles that are absorbed into the bloodstream. The procedure restores blood flow, thus saving limbs and improving patients’ overall health.

In contrast to the long recovery time required after bypass surgery, this new procedure is performed within one to two hours, followed by up to two days for recovery.

"Patients experience very little, if any, discomfort during the procedure," said Berg, a physician with Indiana Heart Physicians at St. Francis.

PAD is a cardiovascular disease that restricts or blocks blood flow in the legs. Arterial blockages, or hardening of the arteries, occur when plaque, thrombus or calcium builds up along artery walls. If left untreated it can lead to sores that do not heal, or heal slowly, potentially resulting in gangrene and amputation.

Those suffering from PAD are at increased risk for heart disease, aortic aneurysms and stroke. It’s estimated that 75 percent of people with PAD are currently undiagnosed.

More information about services available at the St. Francis Heart Center is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/Heart.

Information about Spectranetics is at www.spectranetics.com.

RN selected to manage St. Francis Heart Center progressive care unit

INDIANAPOLIS – Hollynn A. Lobsiger, R.N., has been appointed manager of the progressive care unit at the Heart Center at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers.

From 2006 until her appointment, Lobsiger served in cardiac surgery progressive care unit at St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis. She had several responsibilities, including that of patient care coordinator, charge nurse and preceptor.

Before coming to St. Francis, she served in the cardiac medical intensive care unit at University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison.

An honors graduate of Ivy Tech State College where she earned an associate degree in nursing, Lobsiger, an Indianapolis resident, is a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses and was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society in 2000.

St. Francis, iSALUS healthcare partner to improve discharge process for heart patients

INDIANAPOLIS – St. Francis Heart Center and iSALUS healthcare™ have successfully partnered on a unique Discharge Module that helps nurses and doctors more easily coordinate medicines and other discharge needs for cardiac patients leaving the hospital, reducing paperwork time, providing patient education and improving recovery time.

The Web-based Discharge Module allows physicians and nurses to review medicines the patient was taking before entering the hospital, did take while in the hospital and will need after leaving the hospital. Traditionally, this process is time-intensive and involves health care professionals either reviewing documents in a paper chart or logging into multiple software programs to create discharge medication, education and recovery plans for each patient.

This first-of-its kind service provides all of the information in one software program as a service application. Since it is also Web-based, health-care professionals caring for the patient can securely access the information from any computer with Internet access instead of only those that may be connected to a specific computer network.

It also allows the specialists who treated the patient in the hospital to electronically share this information via a secured Internet connection with the patient’s primary care physician instead of sending it by mail, fax or with the patient.

“We’re excited about this new service iSALUS developed for us because it allows our nurses to spend more time with the patient instead of on paperwork,” said Michael Hertel, executive director, St. Francis Heart Center. “It also allows the attending physicians to securely review the medication and other discharge plans from almost anywhere they might be – which in some cases means patients may be able to go home sooner.”

While more physician practices, clinics and hospitals are adopting electronic medical records, this is the first solution to bridge the gap between inpatient and office-based medical record information systems using the Web. Most hospitals and physicians have separate systems that require login into multiple software tools.

“This is a bold model that could help transform the way a patient’s care is coordinated in and out of the hospital,” said Mark Day, CEO, iSALUS healthcare. “The leaders at St. Francis and their physician colleagues are truly visionary because they saw an opportunity to improve the discharge process for cardiac patients. This is just one of many places in the health care system where different healthcare professionals need secure access to a patient’s information. This service bridges a gap between hospital systems and electronic medical records in physician offices and we look forward to making this available to other hospital systems across the country.”

St. Francis Heart Center earns national praise for coronary care

INDIANAPOLIS — The Heart Center at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines–Coronary Artery Disease (GWTG–CAD) Silver Performance Achievement Award.

The award recognizes the Heart Center’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of cardiac care that effectively improves treatment of patients hospitalized with coronary artery disease.

Under GWTG–CAD, patients are started on aggressive risk-reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, aspirin, ACE inhibitors and beta blockers in the hospital and receive smoking cessation/ weight management counseling as well as referrals for cardiac rehabilitation before they are discharged.

Hospitals that receive the GWTG-CAD Silver Performance Achievement Award have demonstrated for at least one year that 85 percent of its coronary patients (without risk factors) are discharged following the American Heart Association’s recommended treatment guidelines.

“We are dedicated to making our cardiac unit among the best in the country, and the Get With The Guidelines program is helping us accomplish that by making it easier for our professionals to improve the long-term outcomes of our cardiac patients,” said Heart Center Executive Director Michael Hertel. “We are pleased to be recognized for our dedication and achievements in cardiac care.”

“The American Heart Association applauds the Heart Center at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers for its success in implementing the appropriate evidence-based care and protocols to reduce the number of recurrent events and deaths in cardiovascular disease patients,” said Gregg C. Fonarow, M.D., national chairman of the Get With The Guidelines Steering Committee and director of Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center. “The Center has achieved a high level of performance in terms of implementing these life-prolonging treatments.”


The GWTG program is designed to increase the use of and adherence to the American Heart Association’s secondary prevention guidelines for coronary artery disease. Developed to assist healthcare professionals in following proven standards and procedures before patients are discharged, GWTG–CAD can help reduce the risk of recurrent heart attacks and death in treated patients.

The program, which works by mobilizing teams in acute care hospitals to implement AHA/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines, was developed with support from an unrestricted educational grant from Merck & Co., Inc.

One such team at St. Francis is the Emergency Heart Attack Response Team (EHART), which recently has received international acclaim for developing a protocol that more effectively treats heart attack patients. Led by Umesh Khot, M.D., a cardiologist with the St. Francis Heart Center and Indiana Heart Physicians, EHART has reduced the time until patients receive lifesaving care after coming to the emergency department with chest pain.

Compared to the traditional protocol, patients arrived at the cardiac catheterization lab sooner, had less heart damage and shorter hospital stays. In addition, the EHART protocol also reduced the costs of care.

The EHART protocol has been requested by more than 170 hospitals and heart experts around the world within the last year.

More information about EHART is at www.heartattackcare.net.

According to the American Heart Association, about 565,000 people suffer a new heart attack and 300,000 experience a recurrent heart attack each year. Statistics also show that within one year of a heart attack, 18 percent of men and 23 percent of women will die. Within five years after an attack, about 33 percent of men and 43 percent of women will die.

The American Heart Association’s GWTG program is being implemented in hospitals around the country.