East Jefferson General Hospital is dedicated to remaining a national leader in not only the treatment of routine cardiac care, but also the complex cardiac, surgical cases that require advanced care. To accommodate the rising number of patients who need specialized treatment and surgical procedures, EJGH has now opened one of the most advanced Hybrid Surgical Suites in our region. The Hybrid Surgical Suite combines the intricate cardiovascular imaging of a Cardiac Catheterization Lab and the surgical capabilities of an operating room to allow our team of expert cardiologists, heart rhythm specialists, and surgeons to perform innovative cardiac and surgical procedures together to provide the best outcomes for our patients. This is a tremendous advantage for the patient and the surgeons as the suite can accommodate all the technology and diagnostic equipment needed even for the most complex and delicate surgical procedures.
The EJGH Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, or cath lab, is one of the newest in the region and features diagnostic imaging equipment used to support a catheterization procedure. The lab has a seven bed holding area for patients to be monitored before and after a procedure. It also has three suites where the catheterizations are performed. The lab performs coronary, peripheral vascular and carotid diagnostic and interventional procedures on blockages. These interventions may be in the form of a stent placement. The Cath Lab offers many options to re-vascularize arteries: including balloon, drug eluting stents and atherectomy. The Cath Lab also offers diagnostic and interventional procedures to diagnose and treat arrhythmias.
Our Coronary Care Unit (CCU) provides specialized care to patients with heart attacks, unstable angina, cardiac dysrhythmia and various other cardiac conditions that require heart monitoring and treatment. Continuous monitoring of the cardiac rhythm by skilled cardiovascular nurses allows for immediate interventions to meet patient needs and achieve optimal outcomes. Many of our nurses are board certified in critical care or cardiac vascular nursing. Achieving and maintaining certification helps assure employers, patients and the public that nurses have met rigorous requirements in a specialized area of practice.
A Telemetry Unit provides continuous cardiac monitoring of heart patients 24 hours a day for patients who are having, or are at risk for having, heart problems or who are recovering from a cardiac event such as open heart surgery, angioplasty, pacemaker insertion, a heart attack or dysrhythmia. Each patient wears a radio-frequency telemetry monitor and their heart rhythm is watched at all times by qualified staff allowing medical personnel to respond immediately to any changes. Our telemetry nurses and staff have specialized training in cardiovascular care and many nurses are board certified in cardiac vascular nursing, heart failure nursing, and progressive/critical care nursing.
The Non-Invasive Cardiac Lab provides a variety of services including Echocardiograms, electrocardiograms (i.e., EKG or ECG), event recorders, exercise stress tests, holter monitoring, nuclear stress tests and stress echocardiograms.