Methodist Healthcare System | Keeping Well | Winter 2020

Methodist Hospital has become a national leader in aortic advancements with a comprehensive aortic pro- gram led by surgeon Kim de la Cruz, MD , and a team of high-level cardiac and vascular experts. The Methodist Aortic Center specializes in both valve and aneurysm repairs and treats the aorta in the chest, abdomen, and vessels that feed blood to the brain and all other organs. The aorta is the largest artery in the body, supplying oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body. All other organ systems are put at risk when the aorta is not functioning properly. Conse- quently, treatment for complex aortic disease must be tailored to fit the needs of every patient. “Most aortic surgeries are complex and require a Methodist Hospital | Texsan Recognized for Excellence in Cardiac Care Methodist Hospital Advances Heart Treatment With Program for Complex Aortic Disorders Methodist Hospital is the premier medical facility in the South Texas Medical Center for the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of complex aortic disorders. Kim de la Cruz, MD, (third from right) leads a team of high-level cardiac and vascular experts in this new program. highly trained and skilled surgeon and a specialized team focused on treating medically complex patients,” commented de la Cruz. “There are few centers in the country that can claim to have the resources and ex- pertise to care for these patients. We are fortunate here in San Antonio that Methodist Hospital has invested in supporting a renowned program with a very clear vision of how to deliver impeccable world-class cardiac care that includes aortic surgical procedures.” De la Cruz is at the forefront of research for the causes, treatments and prevention of aortic disease and is committed to providing the finest, patient-oriented care to those with thoracic aortic disease and other complex cardiovascular problems. De la Cruz comes to San Antonio from Texas Heart Institute/Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston where he was mentored by world-renowned aortic surgeon Joseph S. Coselli. With over a decade of experience performing these surgeries and receiving advanced training from pioneers and gi- ants in the cardiovascular field, de la Cruz continues to immerse himself in evolving approaches to aortic repair. Aortic disease is a significant cause of mortality in the United States and shares the same risk factors as diabe- tes, heart disease and stroke. While lifestyle modification and primary prevention are cornerstones for manage- ment, people with pre-existing aortic aneurysms, who would be at high risk of death from an aortic dissection or rupture, can be managed with surgery. “Patients and their families no longer need to travel outside of San Antonio to get the heart treatment they need,” said Dan Miller, CEO, Methodist Hospital and Methodist Children’s Hospital. “They can recover close to home, close to family and close to their sup- port system.” The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has recog- nized Methodist Hospital | Texsan for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating patients who come to an electrophysiology (EP) lab and cardiac cath lab for care, including diagnostic catheterizations and percuta- neous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures. The ACC recognized Methodist Hospital | Texsan with two accreditations based on rigorous on-site evaluation of the staff ’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat pa- tients. Methodist Hospital | Texsan is the first hospital in South Texas to achieve both accreditations and has been designated as a HeartCARE Center. “Methodist Hospital | Texsan has demonstrated its commitment to providing South Texas with excellent heart care,” said Phillip D. Levy, MD, FACC , chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board. “ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award Methodist Hospital | Texsan with Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation with PCI and EP Lab Accreditation.” “This achievement really highlights the extraor- dinary work that our staff is doing for our patients,” said Amanda Wood, Chief Nursing Officer at Methodist Hospital | Texsan. “It was a team effort that truly encompassed influence from the bedside team, physician partners, our quality department, and leader- ship across the organization.” Percutaneous coronary intervention is also known as coronary angioplasty. It is a non-surgical procedure that opens narrowed or blocked coronary arteries with a balloon to relieve symptoms of heart disease or reduce heart damage during or after a heart attack. Electrophysiology labs provide care for patients with arrhythmias and may employ treatments such as cardiac ablation and implantable devices such as pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators. “I would like to recognize the professionalism and hard work of our physicians, nurses and technicians who contributed to this achievement,” said Keith Hendricks, Director of Cardiac Cath and EP Labs. “The exceptional vision of our executive leadership team al- lowed us to pursue the HeartCARE Center of Excellence accreditation.” 4 K E E P I N G W E L L   W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 N E W S , V I E W S & T I P S H E A L T H T A L K