The Heart Wants What It Wants

Your heart is busy - 365/24/7. And we can help you keep it going strong.

The Heart Center at Physicians Regional offers a comprehensive range of cardiac care services, from preventative measures to emergency treatments and surgical procedures.

Opening in July 2020, the Heart Center at the Physicians Regional-Pine Ridge offers cardiac catheterization laboratories, dedicated heart surgery operating rooms, experienced surgeons, and excellent anesthesia support.

The ever-growing cardiac center is committed to adding innovative and minimally invasive techniques.

Physicians Regional recently celebrated the official opening of our state-of-the-art hybrid operating room. With our four million dollar investment, we will continue to elevate our Heart Center's cardiovascular care to meet the growing needs of our community. This investment reflects our physicians, nurses, and all staff members' dedication to enhancing patient care and ensuring we elevate all aspects of our healthcare organization.

Dr. Ronald Caputo, Medical Director of the Structural Heart Program, has been at the Heart Center from the beginning stages and has a vested interest in its quality and growth.

"The hybrid operating room is a big step forward for our physicians and our patients who need complex and multidisciplinary interventions," Caputo said. "This room will allow for multiple interventional and surgical specialists to work alongside each other in one state-of-the-art operating room."

Heart Center care includes the repair of faulty heart valves. The heart is a muscle that squeezes and pumps blood to all the parts of the body. To maximize the efficiency of the flow created by the heart pump, one-way valves keep blood flowing in only one direction.

Sometimes, these valves can become narrow or leaky, which causes the heart to have to work too hard. This can result in heart failure. Traditionally, to correct these problems, open heart surgery was required to either replace or repair these valves.

There are now less invasive options that allow for less surgical trauma and faster recovery. For the replacement of a narrow aortic valve, there is TAVR or trans-aortic valve replacement. For repair of the leaky mitral valve, there is now the Mitral Clip procedure. Both are accomplished through a small incision in the groin area. Most patients go home the next day.

For patients with atrial fibrillation who cannot tolerate anticoagulation, we can reduce the risk of stroke by implanting a device called the Watchman. This device eliminates the need for oral anticoagulant medicine.

We also see patients who have difficulties related to a hole in their heart that has not closed - either an atrial septal defect (ASD) or a patent foramen ovale (PFO). These conditions can cause shortness of breath or stroke.

The Physicians Regional Heart Center has the most experienced team in the area, and our outcomes - as measured by comparison with other institutions through national databases - demonstrate our proficiency.

To accomplish the complex procedures at the Heart Center, we are fortunate to be home to several specialists. Cardiac Surgeons Dr. Scot Schultz, Dr. Brett Beecher, and Dr. Dennis Stapleton are integral in the thorough patient evaluation and assessment process.

During the procedures, we may require invasive cardiac imaging - usually a transesophageal echocardiogram - often provided by Dr. Diana Miranda. Cardiac anesthesiologists Dr. Rob Statfeld and Dr. Julia Stevenson are also an integral part of our team.

Our physicians are also supported by an excellent group of specially trained nurses and procedural technicians. We also have Dana Rosenberger, a nurse practitioner who coordinates scheduling and guides the patient through the process.

"Healthcare is a challenging industry that struggles with declining resources and ever-higher expectations and oversight. It can be daunting at times," said Dr. Caputo. "Nevertheless, Physicians Regional has maintained a patient-centered approach at the Heart Center. Importantly, there is a very collegial atmosphere. My co-workers are equally committed to making patient care their top priority."

Both Physicians Regional Healthcare System locations (Pine Ridge and Collier Blvd.) are Accredited Chest Pain Centers, Accredited Echocardiography Centers and 24/7 STEMI-receiving facilities that will expedite the diagnosis and treatment of all cardiac emergencies.

If the saying is true that "the heart wants what it wants," then it's equally true that the team at The Heart Center at Physicians Regional has what it takes to give your heart what it needs.