High tech characterizes hospital's new cath lab - Sheridan Memorial ...

High tech characterizes hospital’s new cath labBY TAYLOR STREETTHE SHERIDAN PRESSSHERIDAN — The wait is almost over.For many Sheridan residents, hundredsof dollars spent in gas money and thehassle of numerous trips to Billings orDenver is about to come to an end asSheridan Memorial Hospital’s new cardiaccatheterization lab is scheduled toopen in just a few short weeks.The $3.8 million cath lab is scheduled toopen Jan. 22 and according to cath labregistered nurse Chrystal Rhone, thereare already patients scheduled to haveprocedures done.According to both Rhone and LenGross, chief human resources officer atSMH, the cath lab will bring new state-ofthe-artmedical technology to Sheridan,but more importantly, it will allow manypatients to stay close to home for medicaltreatment.“We send a lot of cardiac patients toother towns, to other facilities in Billingsor Casper, so to me, it’s going to mean alot for patients to be able to stay athome,” Rhone said. “Not everyone hasthe means for their family members to alldrive to Billings for however long thatpatient is going to be in the hospital.“(The cath lab) is good in the aspectthat it’s going to save family membersmoney and time to be able to be righthere at home,” Rhone added. “It’s a loteasier to check on grandma when she’sright next door than having to drive twohours and then come back. Everyone haschildren and work and lives, so being ableto stay in our community will be nice.”Gross said SMH generally sends close toTHE SHERIDAN PRESS | JUSTIN SHEELYFrom left, Sheridan Memorial Hospital Community Relations Director Cecile Pattison, registerednurse Crystal Rhone and radiology technician Sarah Skinner tour the new cardiac catherizationlab Thursday at Sheridan Memorial Hospital. The new facility is still under construction and isexpected to be completed by the end of January.200 patients to other facilities for treatment.Thanks to the cath lab, the majorityof those patients will now be able tostay in Sheridan.SEE LAB, PAGE 2

LAB: Staff has been training since October on new equipmentFROM 1“The big thing is patients aren’t going to have to leave the communityanymore,” Gross said. “Most of the imaging, diagnosticwork and treatment can be done right here in the community.”A number of new catheterization procedures will be available atSMH upon the cath lab’s opening, including coronary artery stentplacement, diagnostic peripheral arterial catheterization, invasivepulmonary artery testing and thrombectomy.New technology at the cath lab will include intra-aortic balloonpumps, cameras that rotate around a patient, allowing for differentX-rays without having to move the patient, hemodynamic systems,as well as ultrasound technology capable of looking inside vesselsand arteries in order to give histological visualization of variouscardiac disease processes.According to Rhone, the equipment at the hospital is on the cuttingedge of medical technology and will allow hospital staff tomore fully care for patients.“The whole purpose of a cath lab is to be able to take pictures of(patient’s) arteries to see if they have any blockages and to see ifthey have any heart disease,” Rhone said. “The main thing peopleneed to know is that we’re here to make sure they don’t have anyblockages. And if they do, we need to get them fixed because wewant them to live for a long time.”The cath lab is conveniently located within the hospital, justacross the hallway from the intensive care unit, is connected to theradiology unit and less than 30 seconds away from the emergencyroom.The cath lab is also equipped with two recovery rooms, both ofwhich can be used for intensive care patients if necessary.Upon opening, staff at the cath lab will begin with diagnosticservices and will gradually transition to full capacity interventionservices and treatment.Rhone said medical staff members have been completing trainingsince October and have acquired valuable experience, but thatthey want to be 100 percent prepared to properly care for patients.“We really don’t have a time frame for (interventional services),”Rhone said. “We want to be able to give the patient the best carethat we can possibly give them, so we want to make sure before wedo something, we’re ready and prepared and able to take care ofthem the best we can.”Gross said hospital staff and administrators are excited for thecath lab to open. He said the process in making such an endeavorhappen has been a long one, but thanks to effective planning andcommunication, it has all come together.“There are always some unforeseen complications in the process,like getting equipment delivered and making sure everything is inplace. You have to make sure you have the right staff and the righttraining,” Gross said.“We used lots of planning and lots of communication to geteverything done,” he added. “We met every week about this andeveryone has communicated to make sure we’re all on the samepage. ... There are always lots of bits and pieces to the wholething.”