Southside to Become First Community Hospital in Suffolk County to Perform Non-Emergency, Interventional Heart Procedure

Southside Hospital announced today that it will become the first community hospital in Suffolk County - and one of only five in New York State - to perform interventional heart procedures on an elective or non-emergency basis.

Earlier this week, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) notified Southside that it had been selected to participate in a statewide demonstration project that will allow community hospitals to perform elective angioplasties. Angioplasty is a procedure in which cardiologists use a small balloon to open clogged arteries in the heart. In the vast majority of cases, a medicated stent is inserted to remove blockages and restore normal blood flow.

"Southside Hospital is extremely proud of its selection for this pilot program," said Michael Nolan, the hospital's executive director. "The real winners of the state's decision are the residents of Suffolk County's South Shore, who can rely on Southside for years to come to meet their cardiovascular and critical care needs."

Coronary interventions have been performed at Southside Hospital since 2001 as treatment for an acute heart attack, but the state only allowed elective angioplasties to be performed in large teaching hospitals with open-heart surgery programs.

Following a review of 12 applications statewide, the DOH and its Cardiac Advisory Committee approved applications from Southside and four other hospitals (including South Nassau Communities Hospital in Nassau County) to participate in the state's pilot program.

"The state's decision means patients now have the option of electing to have the procedure performed at Southside, their hospital, rather than traveling to a tertiary care hospital," said Marc Kirschner, MD, director of cardiology at Southside. "We've gone through a period of tremendous oversight in performing angioplasties in emergency situations. We know our ability to deliver quality outcomes is safe and effective and now far more convenient for the patient."

As a member of the North Shore-Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Health System, Southside Hospital and its cardiologists have had a long-standing relationship with North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, where Southside patients have gone for elective coronary interventions.

"The state's decision represents a logical extension of our emergent acute heart attack program," said Ezra Deutsch, MD, Southside's director of interventional cardiology. "With the advent of better technologies, these procedures can now be safely performed in selected patients without the need for on-site, open-heart surgeons. It allows for greater continuity of care."

As soon as a start-up date is established, Southside will be ready to offer elective angioplasties at its two existing cardiac cath laboratories. The hospital is also constructing a $13.5 million cardiac catheterization suite that will include the latest state-of-the-art laboratories and equipment.

With board-certified cardiologists available around the clock, Southside provides a full array of cardiac care. Along with cardiac catheterization, emergent angioplasty and now the ability to perform elective angioplasty, Southside's roster of other diagnostic and therapeutic cardiac services includes electrophysiologic mapping studies, pacemaker and defibrillator implantation, arrhythmia ablation, transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography and nuclear stress testing.

Media Contacts:
Brian Mulligan
(516) 465-2618

Mike Sacca
(631) 968-3477