Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole spoke to the OKC South Chamber in a luncheon meeting at the Oklahoma Heart Hospital South. The Congressman called the Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus one of the gems of healthcare in this region of the country.

Congressman Cole talked about the latest coming from Washington regarding healthcare reform, budget issues, spending cuts, taxes, Energy and the War in Afghanistan.

Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus
Breaks Ground on $11 Million Medical Office Tower

New Facility Will Expand Cardiovascular Services in the Region

OKLAHOMA CITY—Earthmovers are breaking ground at Oklahoma Heart Hospital South on a new $11 million, three-story, 70,000 square-foot medical office building designed to put cardiovascular physicians within steps of their patients.  The new medical tower will be located on the Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus at Sooner Road and I-240.

“Putting our doctors close to our patients is vital to the evolution of the South Campus and a positive development in the care of our patients,” said Dr. John Harvey, CEO/President Oklahoma Heart Hospital. “The proximity of our specialists will enhance our response times in a cardiac emergency, surpassing our already superior door-to-door catherization time which currently is superior to both state and national averages.”

The medical tower will contain services such as cardiac MRI, an interventional pain management procedure suite, a cardiac rehabilitation and wellness center and physician offices.  Space is also being built for future operating rooms and catheterization labs as the hospital center grows.  The tower and the hospital will be connected by a 50 foot, air conditioned walkway.

“The new facility will open a new segment of care for the Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus with an anticipated 23,000 square feet of clinic space. Diagnostic testing and physician offices allows our patients to visit the campus for heart care when they don’t need hospitalization,” noted John Austin, Chief Operating Officer Oklahoma Heart Hospital South.

Phase one of construction includes completion of the site work and foundation.  The second phase involves putting up steel and brick to shape the exterior of the building, and the final phase involves medically outfitting the facility for patient care and comfort.  The new medical building is scheduled to open in late summer or early fall of 2012.

Nabholz Construction is general contractor and the facility designer is Rees Architecture, both are Oklahoma companies.

About Oklahoma Heart Hospital:
Oklahoma Heart Hospital opened in August 2002 as the first all-digital hospital in America totally dedicated to the care of hearts. Cardiologists from Oklahoma Cardiovascular Associates partnered with Mercy Health Center to make the hospital a reality. In 2006, demand for cardiovascular services in the region prompted a $35 million expansion at the hospital.
In 2010, Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus opened its doors as an all-digital hospital specializing in the care of hearts.  The South Campus partnered with Oklahoma Heart Hospital, Mercy Health Center, Norman Regional Health System and Midwest Regional System to bring cardiovascular services to south Oklahoma City and eastern Oklahoma County.

Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus Celebrates First Anniversary
New Hospital Experiences Successful Opening Year After Historic Race with National Healthcare Reform Vote

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus is celebrating its first year in operation, a year that began in a race with the historic national healthcare reform bill. The bill limited construction on facilities owned by physicians, threatening the opening of the new hospital built by a consortium of Oklahoma hospitals and owned, in part, by a team of cardiovascular specialists.

Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus began serving patients on January 18, 2010; received Medicare Certification to treat state-funded Medicaid patients on March 10, 2010; and the healthcare reform bill was signed into law March 23, 2010.

“We have assembled one of the finest teams of cardiovascular specialists in the region drawing talent from such prestigious institutions as the Mayo Clinic,” noted Dr. John Harvey, M.D./Oklahoma Heart Hospital President and CEO. “We have added a workforce of 400 physicians, nurses, and techs all specializing in the care of hearts.”

The $98-million, all-digital, state-of-the-art. 163,000 square-foot facility has 30 general cardiovascular rooms, 15 day patient beds, 16 ICU beds, three operating rooms and three catheterization procedure rooms. The 10-bed emergency department takes all emergencies and is staffed 24/7 with a full-time physician and nursing team.

“Our first year has been very successful with patient activity rivaling well-established programs with over 4,500 heart catheterization procedures, 674 surgeries and 4,500 ER visits,” said John Austin, Chief Operating Officer/Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus. “We’ve added 12 new cardiologists to our team of doctors and have opened a new Interventional Pain Management division to offer our patients a dynamic multi-disciplinary concept of care that redefines the boundaries of specialty care, with the patient at the center.”

The South Campus facility was built by a consortium of hospitals including Oklahoma Heart Hospital North, Mercy Health Center, Midwest Regional Medical Center and Norman Regional Health System. Oklahoma Heart Hospital North opened in 2002 as the nation’s first all-digital hospital dedicated to the care of hearts. The successful model of heart care delivery developed at the Oklahoma Heart Hospital North Campus was the inspiration to build a similar hospital in underserved south Oklahoma City.

About Oklahoma Heart Hospital:
Oklahoma Heart Hospital opened in August 2002 as the first all-digital hospital in America totally dedicated to the care of hearts. Cardiologists from Oklahoma Cardiovascular Associates partnered with Mercy Health Center to make the hospital a reality. In 2006, demand for cardiovascular services in the region prompted a $35 million expansion at the hospital.

In 2010, Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus opened its doors as an all-digital hospital specializing in the care of hearts. The South Campus partnered with Oklahoma Heart Hospital, Mercy Health Center, Norman Regional Health System and Midwest Regional System to bring cardiovascular services to south Oklahoma City and eastern Oklahoma County.

Oklahoma Heart Hospital – Serving the State, Leading the Nation.

New Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery Joins Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus from Mayo Clinic

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Heart Hospital Physicians (OHHP) announced the appointment of cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon Dr. Goya V. Raikar to the OHHP office located at the Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus. Dr. Raikar joins the South Campus team as the Director of Cardiovascular Surgery after training at the Mayo Clinic and over 10 years of clinical practice.

Oklahoma Heart Hospital Physicians is the largest group of cardiovascular specialists in Oklahoma and one of the largest in the nation dedicated to diagnosing and treating diseases of the heart, pulmonary and vascular systems.

“Dr. Raikar brings an outstanding resume and extraordinary skills as a cardiovascular surgeon to Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus,” noted Dr. John Harvey, CEO and president of Oklahoma Heart Hospital. “His depth of clinical knowledge and thoracic surgical background is an immeasurable asset to our patients and his organizational talents make him an ideal director of cardiothoracic surgery.

“My family moved to this region of the country to be closer to family, but I wanted the same commitment of quality cardiovascular care, compassion and collaborative working environment I grew accustom to at the Mayo Clinic. Only one hospital fit the bill – the Oklahoma Heart Hospital,” said Dr. Raikar.

Prior to coming to Oklahoma Heart Hospital South, Dr. Raikar served as the Section Head of the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minn. He began his professional career as a cardiothoracic surgeon at Valley Heart Associates in Modesto, Calif.

Dr. Raikar earned his medical degree from the University of Nebraska-Medical Center in Omaha, Neb., and completed his residency at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, Minn. His fellowship work in cardiothoracic surgery was completed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is board certified in surgery and thoracic surgery.

In July 2010, Oklahoma Cardiovascular Associates became OHH Physicians, growing to one of the largest cardiovascular specialty physician groups in the nation. Oklahoma Heart Hospital Physicians has 55 physicians working in 40 clinics throughout Oklahoma including Oklahoma Heart Hospital and Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus. OHH Physicians specialize in cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, electrophysiology, vascular medicine and pulmonology.

Interventional Pain Management Program Opens at Oklahoma Heart Hospital South
Pain Management Specialist Dr. Rico Guerra Leads Team

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma Heart Hospital Physicians (OHHP) announced the appointment of pain management specialist Dr. Rico A. Guerra to the OHHP office located at the Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus. With his appointment comes the creation of the Interventional Pain Management department, headed by Dr. Guerra.

Dr. Guerra is fellowship trained in Interventional Pain Management and specializes in managing the full spectrum of chronic pain conditions. He and his team use the most advanced and safest interventional treatment techniques currently available.

“Dr. Guerra brings a dynamic new dimension to the treatment options available to our patients at Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus,” said OHH CEO Dr. John Harvey. “Through his proven expertise, innovation, and technology in the emerging field of pain management he adds to the multi-disciplinary concept of care we are building on the South Campus that includes cardiovascular medicine and surgery, vascular surgery, pulmonology expertise and neurological services.”

Interventional Pain Management is the discipline of medicine devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of pain-related disorders. Dr. Guerra and his team concentrate on the application of interventional techniques in managing sub-acute, chronic, persistent and intractable pain, independently or in conjunction with other types of treatments. Common causes or types of pain include headaches, neck pain, lower back pain, spinal stenosis, sciatica, CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome), and motor vehicle and work related injuries.

Dr. Guerra earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, and completed his Anesthesiology residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. His fellowship training in interventional pain management was completed at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock, Texas. He is board certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and comes to Oklahoma Heart Hospital Physicians from St. Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City.

In July 2010, Oklahoma Cardiovascular Associates became OHH Physicians, growing to one of the largest cardiovascular specialty physician groups in the nation. Oklahoma Heart Hospital Physicians has 55 physicians working in 40 clinics throughout Oklahoma including Oklahoma Heart Hospital and Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus. OHH Physicians specialize in cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, electrophysiology, vascular medicine and pulmonology.

Del City Chamber Board Tours New Full-Service 24/7 Emergency Room

Congressman Cole is greeted by Dr. John Harvey, CEO/President Oklahoma Heart Hospital and John Austin, COO, Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus.

Congresswoman Fallin tours cath lab with Oklahoma Heart Hospital Chief Operating Officer John Austin. Fallin represents the Fifth District of Oklahoma, which includes most of Oklahoma County and all of Pottawatomie and Seminole Counties.

Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus Chief Operating Officer John Austin shows Lt. Governor Jari Askins around the facility during grand opening ceremonies.

County Commissioner Willa Johnson also joined the group in touring the facility.

Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus

Receives Medicare Certification

New Hospital Fast Tracks Federal and State Certification Process

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus has received speedy accreditation from The Joint Commission, giving the newly opened hospital the green light to treat Medicare patients. Earlier the Oklahoma State Health Department certified the hospital to treat state-funded Medicaid patients.

The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization responsible for accrediting and certifying more than 17,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. Joint Commission accreditation and certification is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards.

The all-digital, state-of-the-art, $98-million, 163,000 square-foot facility opened its doors January 18th to patients but had to achieve both federal and state accreditation before qualifying to take on Medicare and Medicaid patients.

“Joint Commission accreditation can take as long as two years, but our application for certification and on-site inspection were fast-tracked because we had a completely clean inspection requiring no changes to meet government standards,” said Dr. John Harvey, Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus, President and CEO. “Achieving Joint Commission standards so quickly allows us to offer services to a much broader patient population and fill a vital gap in services for south Oklahoma City and eastern Oklahoma County.”

The hospital specializes in cardiovascular care but operates a full-service, 10 bed emergency room with a 24/7 physician presence. The hospital has 16 ICU beds, 30 general cardiovascular rooms, 15 day beds, two operating rooms and three catheterization procedure rooms.

The South Campus facility was built by a consortium of hospitals including Oklahoma Heart Hospital North, Mercy Health Center, Midwest Regional Medical Center and Norman Regional Health System. Oklahoma Heart Hospital North opened in 2002 as the nation’s first all-digital hospital totally dedicated to the care of hearts.

About Oklahoma Heart Hospital:
Oklahoma Heart Hospital opened in August 2002 as the first all-digital hospital in America totally dedicated to the care of hearts. Cardiologists from Oklahoma Cardiovascular Associates partnered with Mercy Health Center to make the hospital a reality. In 2006, demand for cardiovascular services in the region prompted a $98 million expansion at the hospital.

In 2010, Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus opened its doors as an all-digital hospital specializing in the care of hearts. The South Campus partnered with Oklahoma Heart Hospital, Mercy Health Center, Norman Regional Health System and Midwest Regional System to bring cardiovascular services to south Oklahoma City and eastern Oklahoma County.

Oklahoma Heart Hospital – Serving the State, Leading the Nation. www.okheart.com

BYLINE: Journal Record Staff Report
SECTION: NEWS
LENGTH: 871 words

Oklahoma Heart Hospital gets Medicare certification

The Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus has received accreditation from the Joint Commission allowing the newly opened hospital to treat Medicare patients.

Earlier the Oklahoma State Department of Health certified the hospital to treat state-funded Medicaid patients.

The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization responsible for accrediting and certifying more than 17,000 health care organizations and programs.

The $98 million, 163,000-square-foot facility opened Jan. 18.

"Joint Commission accreditation can take as long as two years, but our application for certification and on-site inspection were fast-tracked because we had a completely clean inspection requiring no changes to meet government standards," said John Harvey, Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus president and CEO. "Achieving Joint Commission standards so quickly allows us to offer services to a much broader patient population and fill a vital gap in services for south Oklahoma City and eastern Oklahoma County. "

The hospital specializes in cardiovascular care but operates a 10-bed emergency room. The hospital has 16 intensive care unit beds, 30 general cardiovascular rooms, 15 day beds, two operating rooms and three catheterization procedure rooms.

The South Campus facility was built by a consortium of hospitals including Oklahoma Heart Hospital North, Mercy Health Center, Midwest Regional Medical Center and Norman Regional Health System. Oklahoma Heart Hospital North opened in 2002 as the nation's first all-digital hospital totally dedicated to the care of hearts.

Oklahoma Briefs:
Published: March 9, 2010

Heart Hospital accredited
Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus has received accreditation from The Joint Commission, which allows the newly opened hospital to treat Medicare patients. Earlier, the Oklahoma State Health Department certified the hospital to treat state-funded Medicaid patients. The $98 million, 163,000-square-foot facility opened Jan. 18.

View original article: http://www.newsok.com/article/3444955?searched=Oklahoma%20Heart%20Hospital%20South&custom_click=search#ixzz0lIoHlET2

Oklahoma Heart Heroes saluted Cardiac-event survivors, rescuers praised in conjunction with Go Red for Women initiative

BY SUSAN SIMPSON    
Published: February 6, 2010

When Albino Garza’s wife, Amy, went into cardiac arrest last year, his emergency response training kicked in. He called 911, began CPR on her limp body and instructed their 8-year-old daughter, Jolie, to wait at the door for the ambulance.

Go Red for Women kickoff campaign
Feb 5New Oklahoma Heart Hospital South joined the American Heart...

More Info
U.S., state health facts
→Oklahoma ranks first in heart disease.
→One in four Oklahomans smokes.
→More than half of Oklahomans are overweight.
→Most Oklahomans eat fewer fruits and vegetables than recommended.
→Oklahoma ranks third-worst in the nation in people reporting no leisure time physical activity.
→One in five Oklahomans has high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
→Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of death in America.
→Nearly 60 million Americans suffer from heart disease.
→Every 29 seconds, an American suffers a coronary event.
→About every 60 seconds, someone dies from heart disease.
Source: American Heart Association

Garza’s quick thinking and swift medical care saved his wife’s life.

Albino and Jolie Garza were honored Friday as Oklahoma Heart Heroes during a ceremony that took place at Oklahoma Heart Hospital South.

The event was to mark Go Red for Women, an initiative of the American Heart Association to raise awareness of women’s heart health. Two other women and their rescuers also were honored.

Amy Garza was in a coma for 14 days after her heart attack. She was diagnosed with a genetic disorder called long QT syndrome. Doctors also learned Jolie had the same defect. Mother and daughter had surgeries to implant defibrillating pacemakers to stabilize their heart rhythms.

"I thank God every day for my wife and my daughter,” said Garza, who learned to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation while he trained as a reserve police officer.

"I have both of my angels with me right now.”

The family lives in Hobart in western Oklahoma.

CPR also was credited with saving the lives of Julie Avants, of Edmond, and Loyce Newton Edwards, of Oklahoma City.

Avants’ daughter, Kathryn, 15, called for help when her mother collapsed at home. Edwards suffered a cardiac event while walking at a mall. Her friend called 911, and a stranger administered life-saving CPR.

Edwards calls her rescuers "angels in my life that brought me back from death.” She encouraged everyone to learn CPR.

Others at the rally reminded women to maintain a healthy weight, quit smoking and exercise regularly, along with keeping track of their blood pressure and cholesterol.

"Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women,” said Brenda Head, a nurse at the heart hospital. "We are fighting heart disease with the weapon of knowledge.”

Group Urges Awareness Of Heart Disease Threat To Women

POSTED: 7:20 pm CST February 5, 2010
UPDATED: 8:14 pm CST February 5, 2010

OKLAHOMA CITY --
Heart attack survivors gathered at an event on Friday to share their stories and honor those who helped them. Loyce Edwards said she was walking at Northpark Mall when her heart stopped beating.

"I am alive and well today by the grace of God and able to share my miraculous story and angels in my life who brought me back from death into the marvelous light of life," Edwards said. 

Edwards suffered sudden cardiac arrest, an electrical problem with the heart. Her condition is not uncommon in Oklahoma, which leads the nation for the number of women with heart disease. 

"Today, we want women of Oklahoma to talk heart disease personally, to understand that approximately 35 percent of women suffer from cardiovascular disease," said John Austin of the Oklahoma Heart Hospital's south campus. 

Single mother Julie Avant survived full cardiac arrest and said she now understands how precious life is. 

"There is no other pleasure I have more than seeing my daughter do the things that she does every day," Avant said. "It's unexplainable why you wouldn't want to do what you have to do to keep on living." 

All of the survivors at the event lived because someone knew CPR. Albino Garza saved his wife. 

"I thank God every day for my wife and my daughter," he said. 

Copyright 2010 by koco.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

OKLAHOMA KICKOFF OF NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY FEBRUARY 5^TH

HONORS WOMEN SAVED BY CPR

New Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus Joins American Heart Association Urging Women to Wear Red Friday, February 5

For More Information Contact:
Jane Braden 405.818.1905
jane@goodengroup.com

*Winner of the Oklahoma Heart Hospital – Oklahoma Heart Hero 2010 is the Garza Family from Hobart. Husband Albino saved 32-year-old wife Amy with CPR.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma women with heart disease who were revived in a 911 emergency will be honored alongside their rescuers at the 2010 kickoff of the Go Red for Women Wear Red Day to be held at the new Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus on February 5th at 10:30 a.m. One of the rescuers will be given the 2010 Oklahoma Heart Hero award for their courageous use of CPR in an emergency.

The American Heart Association celebrates February as National Heart Month and on Friday, February 5th millions of women, men and children across America will unite in support of the go Red for Women movement and take a stand against heart disease on "Wear Red Day". Go Red for Women is a nationwide movement that celebrates the energy, passion and power women have to band together and wipe out heart disease, by wearing red.

CPR saved Julie Avants, Edmond; Amy Garza, Hobart; and Loyce Newton Edwards, Oklahoma City. Their rescuers – two family members and a stranger - are finalists for the 4th Annual Oklahoma Heart Hero award. This is the 4th year for the award that in the past has honored family members, friends, strangers and emergency professionals who sometimes put their own lives on the line to save another.

• 32-year-old Amy Garza’s husband, Albino, was about to go to sleep around midnight when he realized Amy was making strange sounds in her sleep and looked very strange. Panic began to rise and when he checked her – he could find no pulse. Albino quickly began CPR and called 911. He told their 8-year-old daughter Jolie to wait outside for the ambulance and bring the EMT’s to her mother when they arrived. Amy reached the Oklahoma Heart Hospital alive but in a coma. The immediate worry was that Amy’s brain had been oxygen starved for an unknown period of time. To save her brain, Amy was placed in a hypothermic state and remained in a coma for 14 days. When she suddenly awoke with no apparent permanent injury, her doctor called it a miracle. Amy has been diagnosed with a genetic disorder called Long QT Syndrome. Because of Amy’s near death event, they discovered their daughter Jolie also has the same heart defect. Both Amy and Jolie now have Defibrillator/pacemakers to prevent their heart from going into that deadly rhythm.
• Single mother, 45-year-old Julie Avants, and her 15-year-old daughter Kathryn got up normally the morning of Julie’s heart emergency. Julie suddenly felt strange and went into the bathroom where she collapsed into her daughter’s arms. Kathryn called 911 and was getting her mother in position to begin CPR when paramedics arrived. Moments later at the hospital Julie went into full heart arrest. Julie had a history of heart disease, her first heart attack was at age 42. Subsequent to her heart emergency, Julie has also suffered a stroke and further complications of her heart disease requiring implantation of a heart defibrillator.
• Loyce Newton Edwards was walking with a friend in North Park Mall when she suddenly felt strange and literally fell to the ground unconscious. A stranger saw her fall and ran to her side. Ryan Stallings began immediate CPR until emergency personnel arrived on the scene. Loyce was diagnosed with a syndrome called Sudden Cardiac Death. She quickly underwent surgery to receive a heart stent and eventually a defibrillator to monitor any dangerous heart beats and shock her heart if needed.

The purpose of the Oklahoma Heart Hero award is to honor those who are prepared to deal with a cardiovascular emergency, educate others how to become prepared, and serve as an incentive for others to be trained in CPR and the use of an AED (automatic external defibrillator).

More than 41 million American women are living with one or more types of cardiovascular disease, yet only one in five view heart disease as their greatest health threat. One in three women has cardiovascular disease, and every minute one woman died as a result of this health threat. That’s why Go Red for Women, powered by the American Heart Association’s research, is educating and connecting millions of women of all ages in an effort to beat women’s number one killer.

• Oklahoma is number one in the nation in heart disease.
• Diabetes has increased an incredible 43% in the past decade in Oklahoma.
• One in four Oklahomans are smokers.
• In Oklahoma, 21% of middle school students and 42% of high school students are smokers.
• More than half of Oklahomans are considered overweight.
• More than 80% eat fewer fruits and vegetables than recommended
• Oklahoma ranks third worst in the nation among those who report no leisure time physical activity
• One in five Oklahomans have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
• Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in America.
• Nearly 60 million Americans suffer from heart disease today.
• Every 29 seconds an American will suffer a coronary event.
• About every 60 seconds, someone dies from heart disease.
• Heart disease is the number one killer of women as well as men.

National Facts:

• Coronary heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women over age 20. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) kills about 460,000 women a year.
• While 1 in 30 American women die of breast cancer, almost 1 in 3 will die from cardiovascular disease.
• Cardiovascular disease causes approximately 1 death per minute among females in the U.S.
• 43 million American women are living with cardiovascular disease.
• Sixty-four percent of women who died suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms.
• African-American and Mexican-American women have higher heart disease and stroke risk factors than white women of comparable socioeconomic status.
• Heart disease rates in post-menopausal women are two to three times higher than in pre-menopausal women of the same age.

Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus Site for Go Red for Women Celebration 2010

Oklahoma Heart Hospital opened in August 2002 as the first all-digital hospital in America totally dedicated to the care of hearts. Cardiologists from Oklahoma Cardiovascular Associates partnered with Mercy Health Center to make the hospital a reality. In 2006, demand for cardiovascular services in the region prompted a $98 million expansion at the hospital.

In 2010, Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus opened its doors as an all-digital hospital specializing in the care of hearts. The South Campus partnered with Oklahoma Heart Hospital, Mercy Health Center, Norman Regional Health System and Midwest Regional System to bring cardiovascular services to south Oklahoma City and eastern Oklahoma County.

Oklahoma Heart Hospital – Serving the State, Leading the Nation. www.okheart.com

Published: February 4, 2010

OKLAHOMA CITY

Event to laud CPR users
Oklahoma women with heart disease who were revived in a 911 emergency will be honored alongside their rescuers Friday. Go Red for Women — Wear Red Day will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. at the new Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus, 5200 E Interstate 240 Service Road. One of the rescuers will be given the 2010 Oklahoma Heart Hero award for courageous use of CPR in an emergency. The American Heart Association celebrates February as National Heart Month.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

View original article: http://www.newsok.com/article/3436980?searched=oklahoma%20heart%20hospital%20south&custom_click=search#ixzz0lIrahdmu

The new Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus in Oklahoma City opened its doors to the public Monday.

John Austin, chief operating officer for Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus, said all of the hospital’s services are open, and the first day of operation went well.

Built by a consortium of hospitals, including Oklahoma Heart Hospital North, Mercy Health Center, Midwest Regional Medical Center and Norman Regional Health System, Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus cost $98 million over a two-year period to build, said Austin.

“For the last couple of weeks, we’ve been working very hard to get everything up to speed,” Austin said.

He said because the hospital specializes only in cardiovascular disease treatment, it is very good at what it does.

Austin also said Oklahomans are not very healthy when it comes to cardiovascular care. This means the services the hospital provides will always be needed.

The new hospital provides superior services when compared to other hospitals. Because of a nurse-to-patient ratio of 1-4, the Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus has more frequent contact between those who are sick and those who are caring for them, Austin said.

“The ability to provide excellent service to the patients and the family is the distinguishing factor between our hospital and other hospitals,” he said.

“The staff have been very nice,” said Susha Sharma, a vistor and daughter of a patient at the hospital.

She said when compared to other hospitals she had visited, the new hospital fostered a more comfortable environment.

The new south campus is located at 5200 E. Interstate 240 Service Road.

Casey Wilson/The Daily

Hospital Opens Doors Ahead of Schedule as Demand for Cardiovascular Services in Oklahoma Escalates

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus celebrates the grand opening of its all-digital, state-of-the-art, $98-million, 163,000 square-foot facility on January 8, 2010.

“Today we celebrate and then we go to work treating the hearts of Oklahoman’s in south Oklahoma City and eastern Oklahoma County,” noted John Austin, Chief Operating Officer for Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus. “We will open the doors for patients with 16 ICU beds, 30 general cardiovascular rooms, 15 day beds and 10 emergency room beds. We have assembled one of the best teams of cardiovascular specialists in the region; we are trained and ready to see patients.”

The South Campus facility was built by a consortium of hospitals including Oklahoma Heart Hospital North, Mercy Health Center, Midwest Regional Medical Center and Norman Regional Health System. Oklahoma Heart Hospital North opened in 2002 as the nation’s first all-digital hospital dedicated to the care of hearts.

“Oklahoman notoriously has one of the highest levels of heart disease in the country and therefore the demand for cardiovascular services has escalated beyond our expectations since the Oklahoma Heart Hospital opened 7 years ago. This new facility will bring outstanding cardiovascular care to an underserved pocket of the state here in eastern Oklahoma County,” said Dr. John Harvey, CEO/President Oklahoma Heart Hospital. “The successful model of heart care delivery developed at the Oklahoma Heart Hospital North Campus was the inspiration to build a similar hospital in south Oklahoma City where demand is high and services limited.”

Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus will be a 46 bed facility with the capability to expand to 62 beds. There will be two operating rooms with expansion capability for a third OR as needed in the future along with three catheterization procedure labs with expansion capability for a fourth catheterization lab. The new hospital will have 10 ER beds and 15 day patient beds.

“We have attracted an outstanding team of cardiovascular specialty physicians from all over the area, including cardiovascular surgeons, interventional cardiologists, vascular surgeons, and pulmonologists,” continued Dr. Harvey. “Nursing will be a top priority at Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus. We have successfully recruited a roster of highly experienced nurses whose skills are concentrated on the care of hearts.”

Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus is designed from the ground up with embedded fiber optics to facilitate a paperless electronic medical record. The design flow of the facility was created by cardiologists for optimal patient care. The emergency room is just steps away from the operating room and the interventional catheterization labs. The philosophy at Oklahoma Heart Hospital is to minimize patient trauma by bringing services to the bedside instead of constantly moving the patient. Family is encouraged stay with the patient in large accommodating rooms to improve the healing process.

The nursing commitment is a one-to-one ratio of nurse to patient in critical care areas and no more than one nurse to every four patients on the general cardiology floors. The emergency department is a full service ER, with capabilities for all emergencies. An emergency room physician is on duty 24/7 plus a full emergency nursing staff.

The ribbon cutting for the new hospital will be held January 8th at 10:30 a.m. The building is complete and the staff is putting the final touches on the different departments so that the hospital can begin admitting patients on January 18th.

Update: View the Ribbon Cutting photos here

About Oklahoma Heart Hospital:
Oklahoma Heart Hospital opened in August 2002 as the first all-digital hospital in America totally dedicated to the care of hearts. Cardiologists from Oklahoma Cardiovascular Associates partnered with Mercy Health Center to make the hospital a reality. In 2006, demand for cardiovascular services in the region prompted a $98 million expansion at the hospital.

In 2010, Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus opened its doors as an all-digital hospital specializing in the care of hearts. The South Campus partnered with Oklahoma Heart Hospital, Mercy Health Center, Norman Regional Health System and Midwest Regional System to bring cardiovascular services to south Oklahoma City and eastern Oklahoma County.

Oklahoma Heart Hospital – Serving the State, Leading the Nation.

BYLINE: April Wilkerson
SECTION: NEWS
LENGTH: 374 words

When it's not broken, don't fix it, and when it's serving a need, replicate it.

Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus has officially opened its doors with a goal of providing the same type of care as its North Campus sibling and serving a wider range of Oklahomans.

Dr. John Harvey, chief operating officer and president of Oklahoma Heart Hospital, said the goal is to replicate the Oklahoma Heart Hospital North Campus to serve more patients with cardiovascular issues. That includes no more than one nurse to every four patients on the general floors and a one-to-one nurse-to-patient ratio in critical care.

"Patient service is the key," Harvey said. "You reduce medical errors if you don't ask people to do more than they're capable of doing. You also hire the best people because they understand it will be a superior experience for them. "

The Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus was built by a consortium of hospitals, including Mercy Health Center, Midwest Regional Medical Center and Norman Regional Health System. The South Campus opens as a 46-bed facility with the capability to expand to 62 beds. The emergency department serves all types of emergencies, and an emergency room physician is on duty at all times.

The cost to build the facility was $98 million, which includes $56 million for the brick and mortar and $20 million in equipment and other costs, said John Austin, chief operating officer of the facility. And because Oklahoma City is spread out over a large area, the south location will better serve patients from other parts of the county and state.

Austin said he expects to see more such collaborations in hospitals' futures as they struggle to stay alive in tough economic times.

"Community hospitals are a dying breed," he said. "I think we'll see more joint ventures. "
Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, who participated in the hospital's grand opening, said the facility represents more than good health care.

"The investment that has been made to build this facility will have a return that is more than improving health care in the region," she said. "This will be a magnet for future development, such as the food industry and other types of business. The whole I-240 corridor should be the next area of growth for Oklahoma City. "

By: DEBBIE BLOSSOM
Published: January 8, 2010

Executives with Oklahoma City’s newest medical center plan to celebrate the completion of the Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus today with a ribbon cutting and a sneak peak at the all-digital facility before it officially opens.

An exterior view of the Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus. Photo provided

The $98 million, 163,000-square-foot hospital begins admitting patients Monday.

"Today we celebrate, and tomorrow we go to work treating the hearts of Oklahomans in south Oklahoma City and eastern Oklahoma County,” said John Austin, the hospital’s chief operating officer.

Austin said the 46-bed hospital opens with 16 ICU beds, 30 general cardiovascular rooms, 15 day beds and 10 emergency room beds. The facility was built to expand to 62 beds, a third operating room and a fourth catheterization lab as demand grows, he said.

And that growth wouldn’t be unexpected, hospital officials have said.

The facility dedicated to treating hearts is the second in the metro area; the original Oklahoma Heart Hospital opened in 2002 and officials said it was the first all-digital hospital in America for total heart care. The northwest Oklahoma City location underwent a $98 million expansion in 2006 to response to demand for its services.

"Oklahoma notoriously has one of the highest levels of heart disease in the country and therefore the demand for cardiovascular services has escalated,” said John Harvey, the hospital’s president and chief executive officer.

The hospital is expected to generate development in the area and along the Sooner Road corridor.

View original article on News OK: http://www.newsok.com/article/3430533?searched=oklahoma%20heart%20hospital%20south&custom_click=search#ixzz0lIvLXMaf

The newest hospital in Oklahoma City had its grand opening Friday, and will begin accepting patients on Monday.  The $98 million Oklahoma Heart Hospital South campus is at I-240 and Sooner Road.

The 46-facility is 163,000 square feet, has two operating rooms and expansion capability for a third.

The doctor-owned hospital is partnered with a consortium of hospitals including Oklahoma Heart Hospital North, Mercy Health Center, Midwest Regional Medical Center and the Norman Regional Health System.

KSBI News
Story Created: Jan 8, 2010 at 6:13 PM CDT
Story Updated: Jan 8, 2010 at 6:41 PM CDT
As the Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus opens it's doors, residents on this side of the metro are finally getting services they've needed for years. One of their greatest needs was an emergency room.
"There isn't a hospital in this part of town, so we expect the emergency room to be busy," said Dr. John Harvey, Heart Hospital CEO.
With just a snip of the scissors this emergency room and hospital is now open for business.
The all digital hospital is almost an exact replica of the successful heart hospital in north Oklahoma City.
While the main goal of thisnew hospital is to treat patients on the south side, elected officials know this addition could mean much more for our community.
"It''s an opportunity for us to go to future businesses that we want to bring here and existing businesses and say please expand here," said Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, (D) Oklahoma.

By Kelly McCabe of Construction Today

A continual focus on patient care and a successful model of heart care delivery have propelled Oklahoma Heart Hospital (OHH) to the top of the cardiovascular care industry. The hospital, which is a joint venture between area physicians and health centers in Oklahoma City, continually ranks in the 95th percentile of Press Ganey surveys that rank approximately 1,400 nationwide hospitals.

"In 2006, Oklahoma Heart Hospital achieved a 100 percent rating from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for delivering quality treatment to the highest number of cardiovascular patients," the hospital adds.

But some felt that OHH's location on Oklahoma City's far north west side wasn't convenient for patients in other parts of the city. So when a group of 20 physicians from three hospitals in the city's south side approached the hospital about building a new facility to focus on patients in that area of town, it was a no-brainer.

"The OHH has been there for seven years, so this is somewhat of an extension," COO John Austin says. "The brand has a lot of name recognition and visual recognition in the community, so we're very proud of that reputation. The group of physicians approached us to say we were doing such great things and that they wanted to participate. We want to replicate what we have up [on the north side]."

JE Dunn Construction Co. broke ground on the three-story, $98 million hospital in November 2007, and the facility will begin treating patients in mid-January 2010. The concrete structure has an exterior insulation finishing system and pitched roof around the perimeter with concrete tile roofing.

The facility will include four catheterization labs, three operating rooms, a 10-bed emergency room, a 15-bed day patient suite and 62 private in-patient rooms. JE Dunn Project Manager Linn Curtis says the facility's interiors will include crown molding and woodwork finishes, which offer a more "comfortable, at-home feel," he says. "It includes finishes that you would tend to see more in residential construction rather than institutional."

Although OHH South's care offerings may seem typical, the hospital's design and layout aren't the norm, Austin explains. The patient beds will be situated in pods that each have eight beds; each pod will have two nurses, one technician, equipment room, nourishment station, drug-dispensing unit, cleaning unit, supply unit and support staff.

"Hospitals typically have long hallways, so the pod concept is something unique," Austin explains. "There aren't too many hospitals that have this type of design. It's very efficient from a workflow perspective; a nurse doesn't have to walk the length of the corridor to see one patient, because they're within three or four steps of any one patient. If a patient rings the bell, a nurse is there in seconds."

The hospital's design not only benefits patients, but nurses, as well. But the hospital is still committed to providing attentive care."We'll have one nurse for every four patients, which is a low ratio--you don't see that very often," Austin says. "It lends itself to better care."

Focus on Patients

A group of medical facilities share ownership of OHH South, including OHH North, which is 60 percent owner of the new hospital. The other owners include Mercy Health Center, Midwest Regional Medical Center and Normal Regional Health System. Austin says the facility's partial ownership by a group of physicians means the facility is built for optimal care.

"We focus 100 percent on patient care and patient outcomes," Austin states. "That sounds silly for a hospital, because [one would] think they all do that, but we really take that to heart here. Everything is focused on what's best for the patient."

Oklahoma regularly ranks among the worst states in occurrence of heart disease, which has spurred the demand for the new facility, Austin says. The state has 77 counties, and the OHH serves at least one person from each county each year.

Proud of the Project

Curtis says JE Dunn is utilizing building information modeling on the project, which has been a successful learning experience for many of the subcontractors. "It was a new experience, but it's turning out pretty well, because we're able to identify the majority of the conflicts and coordination issues you would have with hard-copy shop drawings ahead of time," he states.

The construction company's healthcare expertise and division devoted to healthcare projects have made JE Dunn a good fit for the project, and Curtis says he's proud of helping the city.

"There's definitely need for a heart hospital in this area," he states. "Here in southeast Oklahoma City, it was definitely a big project, so it should hopefully help spur some growth in the area. It's always good to be part of a project that helps spur growth in an area of the city."

Community Leaders Tour New Facility

Construction on the all-digital, state-of-the-art Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus has reached the interior finishing stage and is on target for a January opening. 

“We are starting to look like a hospital,” stated John Austin, Chief Operating Officer of Oklahoma Heart Hospital South.  “The facility is more than 80% completed.  Walls, floors and ceilings are in place and workmen are adding finishing touches on the first two floors, ER, day patient, dietary, cafeteria, and pharmacy.”  

The $98-million, 163,000 square-foot South Campus facility is being built by a consortium of hospitals including Oklahoma Heart Hospital North, Mercy Health Center, Midwest Regional Medical Center and Norman Regional Health System.

“We are ahead of our construction benchmarks even in a down economy,” said John Harvey, M.D., Oklahoma Heart Hospital CEO/President.  “That is an achievement in any economy, but demand for heart services in the region has prompted us to hasten our timetable to get this hospital online for the people of south Oklahoma City and eastern Oklahoma County.  Patient demand in our North Campus has far exceeded our estimates in the seven years since that facility opened; the South Campus will help us finally meet that demand.”

Media, civic and business leaders from South Oklahoma City recently got a first hand look at progress made at the facility and a tour from Chief Operating Officer John Austin.

Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus will be a 46 bed facility with the capability to expand to 62 beds. Three catheterization labs will be built with additional space planned for a fourth cath lab as needed in the future.  There will be two operating rooms with expansion capability for a third OR as needed in the future.  The new hospital will have 10 ER beds and 15 day patient beds.

Reaches Construction Milestone

Hospital is Joint Venture of Four Area Hospitals

OKLAHOMA CITY – Construction on the $98-million, 163,000 square-foot, all-digital, state-of-the-art Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus passed the 50% inspection conducted by the Oklahoma Health Department. Oklahoma Heart Hospital South is being built by a consortium of hospitals including Oklahoma Heart Hospital North, Mercy Health Center, Midwest Regional Medical Center and Norman Regional Health System.

“Increased demand for heart care in Oklahoma has forced us to accelerate the pace of construction at the South Campus to meet our patient’s needs. Exterior walls are up and interior walls are taking shape. We are on track to complete construction in 2009 and begin caring for patients in January 2010,” said Dr. John Harvey, CEO/President Oklahoma Heart Hospital.

The successful model of heart care delivery, as developed at the Oklahoma Heart Hospital North Campus, prompted physicians from four hospitals to come together to create a very similar hospital in the underserved south region of Oklahoma City. Oklahoma Heart Hospital South Campus will be a 46 bed facility with the capability to expand to 62 beds. Three catheterization labs will be built with additional space planned for a fourth electro physiology lab. There will be two operating rooms with expansion capability for a third OR as needed in the future. The new hospital will have 10 ER beds and 15 day patient beds.

“Oklahoma’s continued ranking among the worst states in the nation in heart disease stokes the demand for cardiovascular services. The demand also prompted a $55 million dollar expansion project at the Oklahoma Heart Hospital North Campus to add 21 inpatient beds, 10 ER beds and 3 new catheterization labs,” continued Dr. Harvey.

The Oklahoma Heart Hospital leads the nation in patient satisfaction as noted by the prestigious Press Ganey Summit Award, an award given to hospitals that maintain the 95^th percentile of patient satisfaction for three consecutive years. The hospitals actual patient satisfaction rate is above the 99^th percentile level. In 2006, Oklahoma Heart Hospital achieved a 100% rating from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for delivering quality treatment to the highest number of cardiovascular patients.