Advancing Cardiovascular Care
By Lyndsey Pittman, service line director of cardiology and women's service lines, Premier Health
As the cardiovascular service line embarks on year two of the joint operating agreement (JOA) with The Christ Hospital Health Network, it is exciting to begin seeing results that reflect the vision of the JOA, which includes.
- Bringing clinical services and expertise close to home for patients
- Increasing the quality and coordination of care
- Utilizing existing facilities and equipment without creating duplicative capital costs
Year after year, the demand for heart failure services in our community is steadily increasing. As Premier Health works to recruit a fellowship-trained advanced heart failure physician, our physician partners at The Christ Hospital Health Network are stepping in to fill the gap by seeing patients weekly in the clinic. The Advanced Heart Failure Clinic (AHFC) is now fully staffed by our exceptional advanced practice providers, who have trained with experts at Christ and developed best practice protocols that are shared across all campuses. Our partnership with The Christ Hospital Health Network drives improved health care quality for patients across our region. In August, a patient from the AHFC successfully received their LVAD at The Christ Hospital Health Network. The partnership enabled the patient to be seen near home in the clinic setting and only travel for the complex LVAD implantation.
The CT surgery team at Atrium welcomed Manisha Patel, MD, in July. This team continues to focus on increasing the quality of the surgical product while Dr. Patel ramps up her new practice. Order sets have been reviewed and updated to reflect best practices across the JOA. This work paves the way for patients to receive high-quality care across all sites within the joint venture. Joint case reviews focused on achieving a 3-start STS rating have also been implemented.
Additionally, development is underway for a five-year joint strategic plan, with the goal of the shared service line becoming the “preeminent center” for cardiovascular services in Southwest Ohio. The JOA has engaged Corazon, the nation’s leading cardiovascular consultancy, to facilitate this important work. Ultimately, this engagement will develop an actionable plan, providing the framework for a coordinated approach to care that supports the future growth and development of cardiovascular services across the JOA and our individual hospitals.
As we look forward to the next 12 months, focusing on services that pose a huge opportunity for growth is imperative. Initiatives include implementing Cardiac MRI as a service offering at Atrium and Miami Valley Hospital, standardizing best practice protocols and procedures in EP, and establishing an outpatient vascular clinic strategy. Physician and administrative champions from Premier Health and The Christ Hospital Health Network will lead this work. Together we will do everything it takes to provide world-class heart and vascular care.
Back to the October 2024 issue of Premier Pulse
