Monday, May 23, 2016
Residents of Farmington Hills, Trenton and Wayne now have closer, more convenient access to a specialized heart treatment called percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI.
Beaumont hospitals in Farmington Hills, Trenton and Wayne have earned Certificate of Need approval from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to perform elective PCI, also known as angioplasty. PCI is a non-surgical procedure to treat narrowed or blocked heart arteries causing chest pain or a heart attack.
Beaumont cardiologists at these three hospitals have been performing emergency PCI for several years for patients having serious heart attacks where an artery is completely blocked. But they have been unable to offer the procedure on an elective basis because of a state CON requirement for an on-site, open-heart surgery program. A change in CON rules last year allowed the hospitals to apply for approval to expand their PCI programs beyond emergency cases.
“The survival or outcome of a patient is related to the amount of time it takes to treat a heart blockage or a heart attack,” said Abedelrahim Asfour, M.D., director of Interventional Cardiology at Beaumont, Trenton. “Now we will be able to stabilize and treat all our patients without transferring them to a larger facility, helping to ensure their loved ones can stay by their side.”
Achieving this approval means these three Beaumont Hospitals have met stringent CON criteria. These include coordinating emergency treatment with local emergency medical services, ensuring physician and employee licensure and competency; improving catheterization lab facilities and safety; and meeting national accreditation standards for cardiac care quality.
“Our expert cardiac care team is proud to be able to treat patients as quickly and efficiently as possible with the addition of elective PCI treatment,” said Eric Widner, president, Beaumont, Wayne. “This allows a community hospital like ours to be able to fulfill our patients’ desire to stay close to home while still providing them with the safest environment of care possible.”
Elective PCI procedures began at Trenton in April following CON approval and accreditation. The program launch was supported by a generous gift from Karen Colina Wilson Smithbauer to fund a cardiac catheterization lab upgrade and expansion at Trenton
Elective PCI procedures are expected to begin at Farmington Hills and Wayne in July.
“We are investing in an upgrade of our catheterization lab at Beaumont, Farmington Hills in advance of offering elective PCI to our patients,” said Maher Rabah, D.O., FACC, interventional cardiologist and medical director. “Long-range, we are considering adding an additional cath lab, which would mean we could help more patients who need PCI whether electively or on an emergent basis.”
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, causing 600,000 deaths annually. PCI is considered one of the most effective, primary treatments for narrowed or blocked heart arteries or heart attacks. Percutaneous means “through the skin.” The procedure is done by inserting a thin flexible tube (catheter) through the skin in the upper thigh or arm that is threaded through a blood vessel to the affected heart artery. A balloon mounted on a stent at the top of the catheter is inflated to open the narrowed artery, restoring blood flow to the heart muscle to help minimize damage to the heart.
Learn more about Beaumont’s cardiovascular care programs.
Beaumont Hospital, Farmington Hills
Beaumont Hospital, Farmington Hills (formerly Botsford Hospital) opened on Jan. 19, 1965 as a 200-bed community hospital. Today, the hospital is a 330-bed facility with Level II trauma status. It is a major osteopathic teaching facility with 20 accredited residency and fellowship programs with 140 residents and fellows. Beaumont, Farmington Hills is the base teaching hospital for Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and for Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine. Botsford became part of Beaumont Health in September 2014.
Beaumont Hospital, Trenton
Beaumont Hospital, Trenton (formerly Oakwood Hospital – Southshore) is a 193-bed community hospital that opened its doors to residents of Trenton and surrounding communities in 1961. It became part of Beaumont Health in September 2014. Beaumont, Trenton provides comprehensive medical care for its patients. A recipient of the Governor’s Award of Excellence for Improving Care in Hospital Surgical and Emergency Department Settings, Beaumont, Trenton offers the latest in health services and has the only verified Level II trauma center serving the downriver community. This important distinction means that advanced life-saving procedures are readily available 24/7 for patients with traumatic injuries.
Beaumont Hospital, Wayne
Beaumont Hospital, Wayne (formerly Oakwood Hospital – Wayne) is a 215-bed community teaching hospital established in 1957. The Beaumont, Wayne team offers high quality care with the latest technology. In addition to being a Level III trauma center, many health care services are available ranging from 24-hour emergency care, rehabilitation medicine and a comprehensive birthing center with private labor and delivery suites. It became part of Beaumont Health in 2014.