Do you really need to hear it again – that heart disease is the number one cause of death for men and women, not just in Detroit and Michigan, but in the entire United States?
Do you really need to hear again that the rate of heart disease is higher among African Americans than other groups and that heart disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined?
Probably, but even more importantly, you need to hear the good news.
The Detroit Medical Center has just opened its brand new Heart Hospital, the first in Michigan dedicated to the prevention and treatment of heart or cardiovascular disease.
The official grand opening was Tuesday, July 29. DMC CEO Joe Mullany helped lead off the celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony. Joining him were hundreds of community members, civic leaders, and executives from DMC’s parent company, Tenet Healthcare. DMC physicians and employees also turned out for the event, as did many elected officials, including Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, former CEO of the medical center, and representatives from city, county and state government.
Now you have a place to go
The opening of the DMC Heart Hospital means families in Detroit, all of Southeast Michigan and indeed the entire world, now have access to the kind of advanced heart health care they deserve.
A stunning, six-story, $78 million facility resting on eight acres, the DMC Heart Hospital is the vision of world-renowned cardiologist Theodore L. Schreiber, president of the new hospital and the DMC Cardiovascular Institute it now houses.
“Advances in technology now enable us to treat many different heart problems in a minimally invasive way, for faster recovery and shorter hospital stays,” Dr. Schreiber said. “With the launch of this world-class facility, designed and dedicated for the care of heart patients with a focus on minimally invasive techniques, DMC is taking another major step toward becoming an internationally-recognized center of excellence in cardiovascular medicine.”
Heart disease has many faces
Heart disease or cardiovascular disease is not just one simple illness, but rather can show up as one of many conditions that involve the heart, blood vessels or both. Heart attack, stroke, heart failure, arrhythmia, peripheral arterial disease and heart valve problems such as stenosis and mitral valve prolapse are all forms of cardiovascular disease.
Although there are many causes of heart disease, two of the most common are hardening of the arteries, also called atherosclerosis, and high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.
Heart disease in any form needs immediate attention. Heart disease in the making needs immediate prevention.
For people who don’t have heart disease, poor eating habits, couch potato lifestyles or alcohol and tobacco put them on a direct course to the disease. Prevention can save you from a lot of misery. The power of prevention cannot be overstated and the specialists at the new Heart Hospital can help.
For people who do have heart disease, the DMC Heart Hospital provides a talented team of cardiovascular specialists trained in the most advanced techniques.
Not just another new hospital
This is not just another new hospital. The DMC Heart Hospital is top-of- the-line in every sense.
• It is the first heart specialty hospital in Michigan and offers more advantages and advanced procedures than any other cardiovascular program in the state.
• Its architecture and design are exquisite symbols of Detroit rising.
• The DMC Heart Hospital will have an onsite pharmacy, so patients can fill their prescriptions before leaving the hospital.
• Physician offices will be located right in the hospital.
• An enclosed skywalk links the hospital to a new parking structure with 1,700 parking spaces.
• The building is designed for the comfort of patients, their families and visitors, with a cafe, spacious waiting areas and landscaped outdoor gardens.
• The DMC Cardiovascular Institute, now housed in the new Heart Hospital, has been recognized nationally as one of the top heart centers in the U.S., and one of the safest.
• All tests and procedures will be offered under one roof, for the convenience of patients and their families.
• DMC cardio physicians and surgeons are among the most qualified and experienced in the nation.
• This cardiovascular program brings together cardiologists, pediatric cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, vascular surgeons, cardiac surgeons, radiologists and anesthesiologists, as needed, for each patient.
DMC Heart Hospital has six state-of-the-art catheterization labs, four operating rooms and other procedure rooms to perform an array of minimally invasive treatments to open and repair heart arteries, treat heart rhythm abnormalities and restore blood flow to the legs. The facility also has advanced imaging technologies to diagnose cardiovascular disorders.
The DMC Cardiovascular Institute is the center for all of DMC’s heart and vascular specialists. The institute includes a 24/7 onsite team of interventional cardiologists, known as Cardio Team One and is now located within the Heart Hospital. Cardio Team One has cut the “door-to-balloon” heart attack response time in half for patients, from a national standard of 90 minutes to just 45 minutes, opening blocked arteries sooner to prevent heart damage and greatly increase chances for survival.
Joe Mullany sums it up this way: “When the world looks in on the DMC’s new $78 million heart hospital, the DMC will demonstrate that what was true remains true — the DMC will always chart the path to the future.”
To learn more about the DMC Heart Hospital and its services, or other services at the Detroit Medical Center, visit https://www.dmc.org/heart or call 1-888-DMC-2500.
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