For immediate release                                         October 9, 2000


Sharon Regional Health System opens second catheterization/interventional lab


Sharon Regional Health System is now using its new Philips Integris cardiac/interventional cath lab. Technicians from Philips Medical Systems North America recently completed the final phases of installation and testing.

The new lab is capable of performing all cardiac and peripheral vascular diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and will be used by Sharon Regional's four board certified cardiologists and two board certified interventional radiologists. Since the lab can perform both types of studies, patients suspected of having multiple areas of arterial disease such as carotid arteries in the neck and coronary arteries in the heart can benefit from having both areas imaged one after the other without leaving the room.

According to Paul Smart, M.D., interventional radiologist and director of medical imaging, "The addition of this new lab along with the arrival of Dr. Vinay Madan, our new interventional radiologist, gives Sharon Regional the ability to offer a number of new and advanced interventional procedures."

Sharon Regional is the only hospital in Mercer County to have the availability of a second cardiac cath lab, and the only hospital capable of performing advanced heart procedures such as angioplasty, stent placement, rotoblator procedures, and others that are performed in the cath lab setting.

Adding the second lab also reinforces the Health System's commitment to patient safety and security. James P. Landis, Jr., M.D., cardiologist and medical director of The Heart Institute, reinforced the importance of patient safety in the Heart Institute.

"With the inception of open heart surgery at Sharon Regional this past summer, we were insistent upon having two open heart operating rooms, two cardiac surgeons, two perfusionists, and other duplicate technologies/staff so we always have total back-up capabilities for the safety of our patients," Dr. Landis stated. "Now that we're also doing invasive procedures such as angioplasty and stents, we also have the added security of a complete back-up system through this new second cath lab."

For more information, please call Sharon Regional's Health Information Center at 724-983-5518 or 800-346-7997.