St. David's Round Rock Medical Center opens lab for Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute
ROUND ROCK, Texas - Round Rock patients with heart rhythm disorders can receive world-renowned care closer to home, now that St. David's Round Rock Medical Center opened its electrophysiology lab for the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute (TCAI). The hospital invested $3 million to create the lab for TCAI physicians to study and treat heart rhythm disorders and electrical properties of the heart in Williamson County. TCAI is an international treatment, training and research center specializing in care for heart rhythm disorders at St. David's Medical Center in Austin.
"As the leading heart and vascular program in Williamson County, we are continuously expanding our services to provide the best in patient care," Jeremy Barclay, chief executive officer of St. David's Round Rock Medical Center, said. "With this lab, we are bringing the level of excellence for which TCAI is known closer to our community."
The electrophysiology lab includes equipment for procedural treatments such as cardiac ablation, cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), cardiac cryotherapy, electrophysiology study, transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE), left atrial appendage (LAA) closure therapies and insertion of pacemaker, implantable cardioverter defibrillator and implantable loop recorder.
To oversee the program, St. David's Round Rock Medical Center named Dr. Jeffrey Whitehill, as medical director of electrophysiology at the Williamson County site. A nurse navigator who specializes in cardiac care at the electrophysiology lab will work alongside Dr. Whitehill and provide education and advocacy for patients and their caregivers. This advanced level of care is not typical of most electrophysiology programs.
"Our treatments help people with all types of arrhythmias, including patients who have been told their condition is untreatable, and those who have already undergone unsuccessful treatment," Dr. Whitehill, said. "We are continually focused on innovations in Atrial Fibrillation treatment to improve the quality of life for our patients."
For more information on electrophysiology at St. David's Round Rock Medical Center or Heart Hospital of Austin at St. David's Round Rock Medical Center, visit StDavids.com.
St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center
St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center is part of St. David’s HealthCare, one of the largest health systems in Texas, which was recognized with a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2014. With 171 beds, the hospital’s comprehensive services include advanced cardiac care at the Heart Hospital of Austin at St. David's Round Rock—the first specialized cardiac facility in Williamson County, which includes an electrophysiology lab and Hybrid Operating Room (OR); emergency services in a 24-hour emergency department, including advanced trauma care with a Level II Trauma Center; St. David's Emergency Center in Cedar Park; and St. David’s Emergency Center in Leander. St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center is also known for providing advanced orthopedic and robotic services, among other complex specialties. The hospital received the 2017 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence from Healthgrades and earned a national distinction for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group in 2016 and 2017. It was also recently ranked among the top hospitals in the nation by earning a five-star rating by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid’s (CMS) new Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating system.
Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute
Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute (TCAI) at St. David’s Medical Center is one of the world’s preeminent centers dedicated to the latest treatment advances for correcting abnormal heart rhythms such as Atrial Fibrillation (A Fib). The center is led by Executive Medical Director Andrea Natale, M.D., a world-renowned expert in the field. Natale is at the forefront of advancing treatment for A Fib, leading numerous clinical trials and participating in the development of new technologies and procedures. TCAI is part of St. David’s HealthCare, one of the largest health systems in Texas, which was recognized with a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2014.