CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Patients in Charleston and surrounding areas will have another option for cardiac care.
Two WVU Medicine hospitals: Thomas Hospitals in South Charleston and Camden Clark Medical Center in Parkersburg are expanding their cardiac services.
Camden Clark is already experienced in providing invasive cardiac and open-heart services. Now, an open-heart program will be included at Thomas Memorial Hospital.
Greg Rosencrance, M.D., President and CEO of Thomas Hospitals, says there’s a need and a demand for this service.
“It’s an important initiative for us,” Rosencrance said. “We know the needs for quality cardiac care are significant throughout the state of West Virginia.”
Offering these services too, means patients won’t have to travel outside the state for this type of care.
“So they can stay close to home, that is very important,” said Rosencrance. “This is to meet the needs and demands of patients in our areas.”
This expansion will enable the two hospitals to operate a joint cardiac surgery program, which will be under the direction of a cardiovascular surgeon from the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute. The WVU Heart and Vascular Institute was recently named a top 50 cardiac surgery program in the country by Healthgrades.
“This is about building the infrastructure – the people and programs – necessary to meet the high demand for cardiac services in our combined service areas,” Greg Rosencrance, M.D., president and CEO of Thomas Hospitals, said. “The needs are significant, and over time, we will transform Thomas Memorial Hospital into a regional referral center for advanced cardiac care.”
WVU Medicine said the services at Thomas Memorial will be ready by the end of the year.