The Dilemna’s Of Heart Catheterizations…

Would you feel safe having a catheterization at a facility that doesn’t have open heart back up? Meaning… if you were to have a heart cath procedure at a hospital that couldn’t take you directly to the open heart operating room, do you think it would be as successful as an outcome? I have worked at so many different facilities and often pondered on this very question.

The last hospital that I worked at was Nationally known for their open heart surgery program. We flew people in from all up and down the east coast, and did at least 15 cases a day, our CSU department had 20 beds. That is big compared to most. The hospital that I currently work at does catheterization without interventions. They are getting their approval to do stenting in September, but there will not be open heart surgery for at least 5 more years.

We can easily fly people out to Baltimore, 20 minutes away, where there are at least 5 hospitals that can prep an OR room, but does that make you fell safe enough? I don’t know how I feel. I think that if it was my family member I would prefer to be at an institution that had that type of back up! Am I being snooty? Probably… but after all it is each persons own decision, right?

Do I take good care of my post cath patients? Heck yes. Do I tell them they should go to a different hospital next time? No! Do I have faith in our cath interventionalists? Yes. This is just something to think about, so you will be prepared when you have these decisions placed in your lap.