Since the heart is one of the most important muscles in the human body, OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center made sure it was “heart healthy” by adding significant “muscle” to its cardiology services specialty program in 2024.

Just as a physician recommends patients to develop a plan to maintain a strong and vibrant heart (proper nutrition, exercise, plenty of sleep, reduce stress, etc.), OSF Saint Anthony’s plan to bolster its cardiology specialty services program consisted of acquiring state-of-the-art technology, adding seven (7) new cardiology providers to its team, and delivering growth in the form of increased patient volumes.

“A strong cardiology services specialty program is vital to any hospital of any size, no matter its geographic location,” says Dennis E. Sands, M.D., chief medical officer, OSF Saint Anthony’s. “Our cardiology service line remains a top strategic priority. Having a strong cardiology program is crucial because it ensures access to high-quality, specialized care for patients with heart conditions, potentially leading to improved outcomes, better diagnosis and treatment options, and a positive impact on community health by addressing the leading cause of death in many populations - cardiovascular disease.”

First, on June 5, 2024, the OSF Saint Anthony’s Heart Center introduced its new cardiac catheter lab bringing together a range of sophisticated interventional tools, including clinically proven imaging and physiology capabilities, advanced hemodynamic measurements and cardiac informatics to support clinical excellence and efficiency, enhanced patient care and safety.

The OSF Saint Anthony’s Heart Center new cardiac cath lab is a significant investment in cardiac care with the Image Guided Therapy System - Azurion 7 technology from Philips. This new technology transforms minimally invasive therapy when treating cardiac conditions such congenital heart disease, cardiac arrhythmia, vascular disease, and endovascular interventions.

A variety of clinical and patient benefits are possible with the new cardiac care technology including:

• Dynamic Coronary Roadmap (DCR) for Contrast Reduction tool is clinically proven to reduce X-ray contrast agent exposure to the patient by up to 30%.
• An estimated additional 135 hours of operational availability per year allows for more patients to be treated.
• Reduction in procedure time by up to 17% allowing for quicker patient recovery.
• Provide superior patient care, optimize cardiac catheter lab performance, and ability to perform diverse procedures quickly and easily.

With heart disease affecting so many Americans, it’s important to have the right team of doctors and care available close to home. OSF Saint Anthony’s welcomed four (4) cardiologists to the Riverbend region through an ongoing strategic affiliation with SLUCare Physician Group in St. Louis, part of SSM Health.

These cardiologists bring expertise and the latest technology and best practices in heart care to OSF Saint Anthony’s. “By fully embracing our meaningful collaboration with SLUCare Physician Group, we’re able to bring exceptional medical and surgical cardiologists to the Riverbend region. Doing so ensures that residents have more convenient access to high-quality, sustainable, and innovative cardiac care,” says Dr. Sands.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Annually, it’s estimated that 695,000 Americans die of heart disease – that’s one in every five deaths.

“OSF Saint Anthony’s and SSM Health share a commitment of delivering high-quality, compassionate, and affordable care to our communities." says Jeremy Fotheringham, Regional President, SSM Health. “Our strategic affiliation with OSF Saint Anthony’s allows us to bring the expertise of our heart care team at SLUCare Physician Group to the Alton community. Together, we’re making sure every patient gets exceptional care that is local, integrated, and accessible to the latest innovations in cardiac care and treatment.”

The SLUCare Physician Group providers that joined OSF Saint Anthony’s last year included:

• Kishore Harjai, MD, Chair, Department of Cardiology, SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital

Professor of Cardiology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Dr. Harjai, a board-certified interventional cardiologist, specializes in structural and interventional cardiology. He offers a range of advanced procedures – surgical and non-surgical care options – including TAVR, a minimally invasive valve replacement procedure, the latest in atrial fibrillation care, and complex coronary stenting.

• Phillip Mar, MD, SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital

Dr. Mar is a board-certified electrophysiologist (cardiovascular disease; cardiac electrophysiology) whose interests encompass cardiac ablation, pacemakers, and supraventricular tachycardia.

• Abdalla Hassan, MD, SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital

Dr. Hassan is a board-certified cardiologist specializing in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology.

• Shilpkumar Arora, MD, SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital

Dr. Arora is a board-certified cardiologist specializing in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology.

Another sign that OSF Saint Anthony’s cardiology services specialty program has a ‘healthy heart’ is the increased patient volumes last year. This includes:

• Echocardiograms = 5.80% increase
• Stress tests = 28.72% increase
• Electrocardiograms (EKG) = 0.73% increase
• Cardiology consultations = 100%+ increase
• Interventional cardiology lab monthly procedures = 300% increase

“2024 was a pivotal year for our cardiology services specialty program and we’re using that momentum to maintain and increase utilization of to what has become a well-structured and coordinated service line dedicated to cardiovascular care, with a comprehensive range of services including diagnosis, treatment, and management of heart conditions,” Dr. Sands says.

More information about OSF Saint Anthony’s can be obtained by visiting www.osfsaintanthonys.org.