Carle Health Greater Peoria Cardiovascular Services Expand with Addition of Hybrid Suite

Organizers held a ribbon cutting and hosted tours on Monday, Aug. 21, highlighting the suite, which features new equipment and provides extra space for surgery and interventional work.

“We took an old open-heart room built in 1973, completely demolished it, remodeled it and made this new, state-of-the-art room,” Carle Health Nurse Manager Shannon Glover said.

The suite features a powerful, new ceiling-mounted system known as the Philips Azurion 7 C20.

Controlled with a touchscreen, it can provide a range of surgical and cath-lab services, including open and structural heart procedures, open and interventional vascular work, and coronary work, if needed.

“This will be the most up-to-date, technologically advanced system for patient care in the area, and I think it will definitely set us apart from any other facility in the area,” Carle Health Vascular Surgeon Scott Reid, MD, said.

“They say seconds count in medicine, and this is also true in surgery,” Carle Health Vascular Surgeon Tom Dooley, MD, said. “This technology allows us to take a limited number of pictures and get the information we need to proceed with operating on a patient in a quick and efficient manner.”

The project began after the demand for interventional procedures at Carle Health Methodist Hospital (CHMH) increased, making it busier for the cardiologists and vascular surgeons on the floor.

The fifth floor of the Crescent building at the hospital already had one hybrid suite, but it needed replacement. Other opportunities for improvement on the floor inspired Glover to come up with the idea and accomplish two tasks in one.

“We also needed to remodel the open-heart room, so I pitched to my boss that we should make it a hybrid room. That way, we won’t disrupt services and can eventually replace the old room without disrupting services either.”

Once hospital managers approved the project and leaders secured the funding, architects, design managers and construction specialists held weekly meetings to keep the project on track.

Glover also sought approval and input from a perfusionist, nurses, X-ray techs and other hospital staff.

“We included Infection Control to ensure everything is sealed off and the air quality is good. This helps make sure air isn’t filtering into other areas and contaminating anything,” Glover said.

CHMH now features five catheterization labs and two open-heart operating rooms with the addition of the hybrid suite, and the extra space allows the hospital to provide high-quality care for a larger number of patients.

“I’m very excited, and the doctors are very excited. Having everything nice, new and working will be great for our patients,” Glover said.

“It’s been really exciting to watch. It has required a system-wide adjustment and collaboration among departments. It’s been a great process to be involved with,” Dr. Reid said.

Categories: Redefining Healthcare, Community, Peoria

Tags: cardiovascular, greater, hospital, hybrid, methodist, open-heart, peoria, suite