Printer-friendly format

New Name, Expanded Services at Mississippi Heart and Vascular Institute at St. Dominic’s

The name of the 38-year-old Mississippi Heart Institute at St. Dominic’s has been changed to the Mississippi Heart and Vascular Institute (MHVI) at St. Dominic’s to better reflect the full spectrum of services and emphasize the hospital’s multi-disciplinary approach to cardiovascular disease management.

“Our goal with rebranding is to continue to strengthen the Mississippi Heart Institute at St Dominic's,” said MHVI administrator Michael O’Leary. “While the individual name change to Mississippi Heart and Vascular Institute is subtle, we want the common symbol to unite our component parts. Not only do we offer excellent cardiac services, but we also offer the same level of peripheral vascular and cerebrovascular disease services.”

O’Leary said the decision to rebrand the institute had been planned for several years.

“We offer procedures for patients who have cardiac, peripheral vascular, and cerebrovascular disease and have excellent physicians dedicated to performing such procedures,” he said. “At St Dominic's, the mission is always at the forefront of everything we do. Each patient deserves a unique yet collaborative approach to allow them optimal benefit and outcome.”

Besides, said O’Leary, it had become increasingly apparent over time that not only St. Dominic’s patients’ qualities of life could be enhanced but also in many cases saved through a more holistic and comprehensive approach to the circulatory system.

“For example, a patient may have circulatory issues in the legs causing painful and debilitating swelling,” he explained. “Our increased focus on vascular procedures and expertise has helped our patients achieve a positive resolution and in many cases, we’ve been able to save lives.”

MHVI performs procedures for ischemic heart disease, thoracic and abdominal aortic disease, general thoracic surgery, valve replacement, peripheral vascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, and coronary interventions to name a few. These services are provided by some of the most skilled cardiovascular surgeons, interventional cardiologists, interventional radiologists and vascular specialists in the state.

St. Dominic’s is one of few hospitals in the state that is both an accredited Acute Stroke Center and an accredited Chest Pain Center with PCI. By streamlining departmental communications, the MHVI hopes to become the area’s leading center of excellence for all heart and vascular services.

“Unfortunately, Mississippi leads the nation in the highest death rate per capita due to vascular disease,” said Trace Swartzfager, vice president of professional services at St. Dominic Hospital. “St Dominic's MHVI will continue to offer an extensive array of services that emphasize a greater collaboration across the spectrum of care. We’re working to expand services in coronary, surgical and electrophysiology (EP). In addition, we’ve been offering an increasing number of procedures for cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular disease. For example, St. Dominic's has been offering a life-saving coiling procedure for those suffering from a stroke caused by a rupture in a vessel wall (aneurism). We’re also offering radial procedures for diagnostic or interventional catheterizations.”

In preparation for these changes, St. Dominic’s has been working with physician partners to bring in experts in the treatment of vascular ailments to complement the hospital’s renowned heart program. Hospital leaders have also increased staff development and education in this area, while also adding a greater number and wider variety of procedures.

“For example, the development of the aneurism coiling procedure included equipment investments and extensive staff training,” said Swartzfager. “This procedure has also been integral in the development of our stroke program and recent accreditation. We plan to continue to develop and offer more vascular procedures.”

MHVI interventional cardiologists perform both radial diagnostic catheterizations and radial emergency STEMI catheterizations.

“The Level 1 Heart Attack Program at St Dominic's is our STEMI program, which receives emergency transfers from around the Central Mississippi region and the Jackson metropolitan area,” he said. “Not only do we have interventional cardiologists who perform the radial approach for diagnostic catheterizations, we’re experiencing a growth in the radial approach for emergent STEMI cases when clinically appropriate.”

MHVI board member Harper Stone, MD, said St. Dominic’s leaders are constantly keeping up with technology upgrades and new clinical guidelines that evolve from research.

“For example, plans to complete a ‘hybrid’ OR suite are being implemented to offer our surgeons and cardiologists optimal efficiency and clinical flexibility,” said Stone. “It’ll serve as a true hybrid space, combining cases that need surgical and catheterization equipment. Examples include endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm stent grafting, thoracic stent procedures, and future percutaneous transcatheter heart valve replacements. There are strategic facility plans in place, along with collaborative efforts between physicians, to even further this focus on treating coronary, peripheral vascular and cerebrovascular disease.”

Stone said the MHVI is a prime example of how St. Dominic’s is responding to the anticipating shift in the way healthcare providers approach and offer healthcare.

“While the care offered within the acute care setting will always exist, the emphasis is shifting to prevention and patient/community awareness,” he explained. “There will be more emphasis on chronic disease management and outpatient clinics, multi disciplinary behavior modification and education programs, and better coordination of care with primary care physicians and post-acute care providers. The focus on prevention will be paramount to changing the devastating effects of heart and vascular disease within our state and decreasing mortality.”

Tags:

Dr. Harper Stone., MHVI, Michael O’Leary, Mississippi Heart and Vascular Institute at St. Dominic’s, Mississippi Heart Institute at St. Dominic’s, Trace Swartzfager

Login and voice your opinion!