Renovation Completed on Heart and Vascular Institute at St. Mary’s Hospital

2013 marks a great leap forward for the Carondelet Heart & Vascular Institute, which undertook a major expansion, including the adoption of a state-of-the-art hybrid operating suite.

Located on the first and third floors of St. Mary’s Hospital in Tucson, the Carondelet Heart & Vascular Institute’s St. Mary’s Campus has been under renovation during the past year. CHVI celebrates the official opening in January. The project cost $17 million and is part of an expansion of Carondelet Health Network’s heart program involving Carondelet’s St. Joseph’s campus as well.

The institute now includes a dedicated Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit; a 21-bed, all private room progressive care unit; a 34-bed telemetry unit; two cardiac catheterization labs; three dedicated operating suites; an electrophysiology suite with cardiac arrhythmia ablation capability; and an endovascular surgical suite for complex aneurysm repair. The jewel in the crown is a hybrid operating suite, which is basically a combination of a cardiac catheterization lab and a cardiothoracic operating room that serves as a remote classroom at the same time. This means that physicians and medical students can observe and learn new techniques and procedures from anywhere in the world via a video stream. The hybrid OR is also equipped with the highest quality X-ray imaging for optimal visualization during complex surgical procedures. The high-tech equipment guarantees that patients as well as the crew are exposed to minimal radiation.

St. Mary’s holds a number of national titles such as Joint Commission-certified Primary Stroke Center, Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence and Distinguished Hospital for Critical Care. The hospital is also among the top 100 in the nation for stroke care, and Healthgrades’ Patient Safety Excellence Award places it among the top 10 percent of US hospitals for quality and safety. In 2013, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association also honored the hospital with a Gold Plus Award for Stroke Care. Michael Hecht, MD and chief medical officer of Carondelet Specialist Grouptold the press that “the vision of Carondelet Heart & Vascular Institute is to be nationally recognized as a premier destination for modern cardiovascular care through clinical excellence, research and physician education.”

Photo courtesy of Carondelet Health Network