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Quality To continually improve outcomes for heart attack patients, Froedtert Hospital follows specific guidelines from The Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. These guidelines cover many aspects of care, from giving certain drugs to counseling patients on quitting smoking. Our quality report for heart attack care is available on the Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality Web site at wchq.org. Froedtert is proud to consistently rank among the top healthcare organizations for heart attack care.
InnovationThe Heart and Vascular Center is at the forefront of offering cardiology patients the latest technology and treatments. Examples include:
- Minimally invasive closure of ASD and PFO defects — Atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) are congenital defects that leave a hole in the wall between the two upper chambers (atria) of the heart. People who have these heart defects are at increased risk for arrhythmias, stroke and heart failure. Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin were the first in Milwaukee to perform ASD and PFO closure without open surgery. The holes are closed with a device that is passed to the heart through the blood vessels.
- Cardiac MRI Program — state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the heart and major blood vessels is a safe test that does not require radiation exposure. Cardiac MRI is useful to detect heart attacks, evaluate causes of heart failure and arrhythmias, and identify structural heart problems. It can detect which areas of the heart have sustained damage after a heart attack, how much damage was done, and how much live muscle remains — crucial information when considering appropriate treatment. The program is headed by a specialist with advanced training in cardiac MRI. Three MRI scanners, including two that can accommodate larger patients, are available to provide detailed images of the heart.
- Electrophysiology Program — experts in catheter ablation and implantable devices are using the most advanced technology to treat people with different types of arrhythmias.
Author: Marla Fraunfelder Last Review Date: Nov. 10, 2008 |
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