Mary Washington Healthcare (MWHC) held a grand opening and ribbon cutting for their new Cardiac Hybrid Room on December 13, 2016.
Located in Mary Washington Hospital, the Cardiac Hybrid Room is equipped with state-of-the-art imaging systems in addition to traditional equipment and features found in a conventional operating room. The setting accommodates minimally invasive cardiac procedures, including Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR).
“TAVR is a less invasive option that enables surgeons to use a catheter to guide an artificial heart valve through an artery in the groin or directly into the heart, position it within the patient’s native heart valve and implant the new valve allowing it to restore blood flow,” MWHC says on its website. Because it is less invasive, TAVR typically has a shorter recovery time and lower risk for complications than traditional open heart surgery.
Aldora “Mae” Fink was the first to have the procedure in the new facility. “I got to the point where I couldn’t breathe,” the 82-year-old said. She had aortic valve replacement on October 24. “Not many hours after I had the surgery, I walked down the hall and said, “Look what I can do!” she said. “It’s so good to be able to breathe. I’m the old me again. I got great care when I was here. You couldn’t ask for a hospital any better than this.”
The opening of the facility was the culmination of years of planning. “There was a lot of effort to bring this project from an idea to fruition,” said Mike McDermott, M.D., M.B.A., president and CEO of MWHC.
He thanked the board of trustees, the doctors and staff, and all those involved for ensuring the project and the procedures are available to the Fredericksburg community.
“This project is a gateway to the future for patients in our community who require state-of-the-art cardiovascular care,” he said. “This room is an amazing piece of technology that we have right here in our community.”
“This Cardiac Hybrid Room only accentuates and expands what Mary Washington Healthcare provides to the community,” said J. R. Flatter, vice chairman of the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Flatter had a heart procedure at Mary Washington Hospital five months ago. “From the moment I came into the system, the care and the compassion of the entire team was evident immediately,” he said. “I never once considered going anywhere else, because I knew I was going to get world class, state-of-the-art care right here.”
Speakers at Tuesday’s event also included Congressman Dave Brat ((R-VA 7th District), Fredericksburg City Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw, Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce President Susan Spears, cardiothoracic surgeons Drs. John Cardone and Alex Na, and cardiologist Dr. Harish Chandra.
The Cardiac Hybrid Room cost $4.7 million to build out, and it was approved by the MWHC Board of Trustees as capital improvement. The construction project included relocation/construction of a new surgery waiting room and same-day surgery beds.
Mary Washington Healthcare is a not-for-profit regional system that includes two hospitals and 28 healthcare facilities and wellness services.
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