For Immediate Release
June 5, 2003
Contact: Maria E. Ramos
(219) 865-2141, ext. 45321
Maria.Ramos@ssfhs.org

DYER—Saint Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers has long been recognized as a leader in cardiovascular services in Northwest Indiana and Southeast Chicagoland. This spring, that strength doubled with the expansion of our expertly staffed open heart surgery program to the South Campus in Dyer, Ind.

At Saint Margaret Mercy’s South Campus, having an open heart program means the campus can now offer the complete spectrum of cardiovascular services closer to home for residents in the tri-town area. In the event of a heart attack or other cardiac event, patients have relied on the high level of skill and professionalism of the South Campus Emergency, Critical Care and Cardiovascular Services departments for diagnosis, treatment and stabilization. Now, treatment goes beyond diagnostic procedures, with no need to transfer open heart surgical candidates to the North Campus in Hammond, Ind.

“When a patient is [at the South Campus] for a diagnostic procedure and we discover they need an angioplasty, now we can do that,” said Dr. Michael Perelman, board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon. “People can have the sense that they can rely on a total care package here.”

The establishment of the open heart program has made it possible to expand the elective angioplasty program at the South Campus, as well. Previously, angioplasty was only performed as a lifesaving measure. The availability of an onsite surgical staff provides the safest environment for elective procedures to be performed.

The open heart program had been several years in the making, with the most intense preparations made in the last half of 2002 through the first surgery on March 14. “We have always been hopeful of having open heart here someday,” said Patricia Judnick, RVT, manager of Cardiovascular Services at the South Campus.

Preparing for the program was a monumental team undertaking that included several departments and both campuses. No detail was overlooked, from supplies to facilities and staff to support.

“We all pulled together to get it running. It was a collaborative effort between Surgery, Critical Care, Cardiac Cath Lab, Anesthesiology, Respiratory, Pharmacy, Quality Services, Engineering, Administration, and every department who would have a hand in supporting the program,” Judnick said.

The effort included training between campuses for Intensive Care, Cardiac Rehab and Surgery. The experienced open heart surgical team of six nurses and six surgical technicians is the same for both the North and South campuses, three of whom have been with the team since open hearts were first performed at the North Campus in 1987. One nurse and one tech from South Campus Surgery were cross-trained when the program expanded.

“We have the most experienced of any surgery staff,” said Sally Pustai, RN, open heart team leader. “We have been working with Drs. Perelman and [George] Hodakowski since they came [in 1995].”

Pustai was instrumental in ordering equipment and supplies and preparing the South Campus open heart room for surgery. The room is modeled after the North Campus space so that the transition between campuses is seamless for the team. They did several dry-runs to ensure the precision of what was already a fine-tuned machine.

“It was a somewhat complicated endeavor because of everyone involved,” said Dr. Perelman. “Everyone needed to be entirely familiar with what to expect so that things run smoothly without giving it a thought. It should never be an adventure.”

The open heart team includes:

• Top-notch surgeons who have years of experience working together. Together, the group performs about 2,000 heart surgeries a year that run the gamut of cardiac surgery excluding heart transplantation.
  
  
• Nurses, board-certified anesthesiologists, perfusionists and other support staff who have extensive experience and training in cardiac surgery
  
  
• Highly skilled critical care nurses who staff the Intensive Care Unit for post-surgical patients
  
  
• Cardiac Rehabilitation nurses who help return patients to a full, active and healthy lifestyle

The team works closely with cardiologists on staff who are now able to monitor their patients from diagnosis, through surgery and recovery at the South Campus.

“In our eight years doing open heart at the North Campus, we had seen several patients [from the South Campus] when surgery was advised,” said Dr. Perelman. “Some didn’t like being transferred. They wanted to be as close to home as possible.

“We’re right at their doorstep,” he said. “It’s comforting for patients and doctors to know that we can deal with the complex cardiac surgical issues right here in a comfortable, homey atmosphere.”

For more information on Cardiovascular Services at Saint Margaret Mercy, call 1-888-784-2100.