RWJ Hamilton Re-opens Advanced Interventional Cardiovascular Lab
$2 Million Investment Brings State-of-the-art Technology to Mercer County

HAMILTON, NEW JERSEY – Heart disease is one our nation's most common health problems—the leading cause of death for Americans age 35 and older. Introducing advancements in the medical technology used to diagnose and treat this condition is more critical than ever before at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJ Hamilton). In an effort to help its physicians provide faster and more efficient cardiac care to area residents, RWJ Hamilton has opened a state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization lab.

The medical team at RWJ Hamilton's cardiac catheterization lab. Front row: Jay Patel, MD, FACC, FACP, FSCAI, Interventional Director; Laura Kraus, RN; Cathy Derienzo, RN. Back row: Stephanie Frazier, RN; John Luchansky, RN; Kathy Forman, RTCV; Patty Gray, RN; Ron Ryder, DO, FACC, chairman, department of medicine and chief, section of cardiology; Colleen Petitt, RN. Not pictured: Mahmoud Ghusson, MD, FACC, FACP, medical director.

Beginning on February 8, 2008, RWJ Hamilton is conducting its minimally invasive cardiac procedures on a new system to treat a wide range of clinical problems including coronary artery disease – a leading cause of heart disorders in the U.S. The benefits of catheter-based interventions include shorter hospital stays, reduced recovery time without the pain of a large incision, and less visible surgical scarring. These procedures can be performed on both the heart and peripheral blood vessels.

"Since RWJ Hamilton opened its cardiac catheterization lab ten years ago, our community has increasingly turned to us for these types of procedures," says Ellen Guarnieri, RWJ Hamilton president and CEO. "Both our patients and cardiologists will benefit from the $2 million-dollar investment in renovations and new equipment. Our community can rest assured that the best technology available in the marketplace is being offered at RWJ Hamilton," says Guarnieri.

Specifically, the hospital will use the Allura Xper FD20 imaging system from Philips. This fully digital system enables physicians to capture and view detailed images of a patient's heart and surrounding area, thereby facilitating faster and more accurate diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease. The X-ray system exposes patients to less radiation during the actual procedures than many other available systems.

This system can aid in the diagnosis and treatment of a range of patient conditions and can be used for procedures such as diagnostic catheterizations, stenting, and balloon angioplasty. "Interventional X-ray technology is a vital component in the future of medicine," says Guarnieri.

RWJ Hamilton's volume in cardiology continues to rise and last year the State of New Jersey turned to RWJ Hamilton as one of nine hospitals statewide to participate in the Cardiovascular Patient Outcomes Research Team (C-PORT-E) demonstration project run by Johns Hopkins University to compare the outcomes of patients treated with a life-saving procedure called elective angioplasty.

More About RWJ Hamilton
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJ Hamilton) is the only New Jersey hospital to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Located in Hamilton Township, NJ, the hospital is part of the RWJ Health System and Network and is affiliated with the University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey-RWJ Medical School and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

The RWJ Hamilton Health Care Corporation serves communities within a five-county area and includes an acute care hospital, the Cancer Institute of New Jersey Hamilton, three affiliated medical groups, seven Lakeview Child Centers, and the RWJ Hamilton Center for Health & Wellness, home of a medically-based fitness center and the hospital's extensive community education program. Over 1,900 hospital employees and 650 medical staff physicians share RWJ Hamilton's passion for Excellence Through Service. For more information, visit www.rwjhamilton.org.