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The Heart and Vascular Center at Southern Maryland Hospital Introduces New Facility to Improve Patient Comfort and Care
The Heart and Vascular Center at Southern Maryland Hospital encompasses a full range of services dedicated to improving patients’ cardiovascular health, from diagnosis and treatment to rehabilitation and ongoing support. One such service is the cardiac catheterization lab, or “cath lab,” where experienced physicians and staff performed over a thousand cardiac, vascular, and interventional radiology procedures last year. For patients, however, the prospect of undergoing a procedure such as coronary angioplasty or carotid stenting can be frightening. There is a lot the patient may not know. How does the procedure work? What exactly does the doctor do? How long will it take? What are the risks? What can I expect after the procedure? When can I get back to normal activity?
Recognizing that educating patients and allaying their concerns leads to decreased patient anxiety and possibly better outcomes, Southern Maryland Hospital Center (SMHC) has built a new five-bed unit next to the cath lab. “We needed a place dedicated to our patients’ care and comfort immediately before and after cath lab procedures,” said Roy Leiboff, MD, SMHC Director of the Cardiac Cath Lab. The new unit is equipped with intensive monitoring capability, like an ICU, but the atmosphere isn’t what you might think of when you envision a pre-operative ward. “This space is warm and welcoming,” said Stephanie Cleaveland, SMHC Clinical Director of Specialty Areas. Each bed has privacy, space for a family member to join the patient, even a bedside TV.
Before a procedure, the unit functions as a place where both doctor and patient can feel that the patient is well prepared for the procedure. Any necessary lab work can be done there, and the patient’s heart rhythm, blood pressure, and blood oxygen can be monitored. The doctor can ensure that the patients have taken their medications as instructed and any special pre-procedural medication can be administered. Equally important, the physician can meet with the patient and his or her family member to discuss the procedure and answer any questions. “Our patients love the room,” said David Simms, RN, cath lab manager. “They’re much more relaxed, and they can have a family member sit with them before and after the procedure, which helps to decrease anxiety even further.”
The new unit also promotes patient welfare after a procedure. Patients can be carefully monitored to ensure they are comfortable after the procedure and to make sure minimally invasive access sites are securely closed before they are transferred to a hospital room or prior to discharge. Physicians and staff can make sure no complications develop and that nothing is overlooked.
“This space is a very positive addition to the Heart and Vascular Center at Southern Maryland Hospital,” Dr. Leiboff said. “It’s a major investment on the part of the hospital for patient care and comfort. It is our hope that patients who come to SMHC for cardiac and vascular procedures will have a better experience than they might elsewhere.”
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