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Genesis Heart & Vascular Institute Celebrates Milestone

emily.griffin
Submitted by emily.griffin on

Genesis HealthCare System’s Heart & Vascular team members recently performed their 1,000th structural heart procedure, marking a major milestone in their commitment to advancing cardiovascular care and improving lives in the community. Structural heart disease refers to a problem with the physical parts of the heart that affects how the heart works. It can occur at birth or develop later in life and can often lead to serious health consequences, such as heart failure, stroke or reduced quality of life. Structural heart disease includes irregularities that affect the heart’s valves, walls, chambers or muscle. Common structural heart conditions include aortic stenosis and mitral valve regurgitation.

 

“Reaching the 1,000-case milestone is humbling,” said Kinan Kassar, M.D., FACC, Director of Structural Heart Disease at the Genesis Heart & Vascular Institute. “We are grateful to our patients for trusting us with their care. It shows we are making a difference and motivates us to continue bringing new innovative procedures to our community.”

 

Genesis Heart and Vascular doctors utilize a variety of advanced treatment options to treat structural heart disease. The goals are to use minimally invasive procedures that reduce risks, limit recovery time and usually enable patients to return home the day of the procedure or the next day. One common procedure is a minimally invasive procedure that closes the left atrial appendage in the heart. It reduces the risk of having a stroke for people with atrial fibrillation.

 

This achievement underscores Genesis Hospital's role as a regional leader in structural heart disease treatment and the ongoing dedication to innovation, excellence and compassionate care. For more information on the Genesis Heart & Vascular Institute, visit genesishcs.org/heart.

Genesis Heart & Vascular team photo

Genesis HealthCare System’s Heart & Vascular team members recently performed their 1,000th structural heart procedure, marking a major milestone in their commitment to advancing cardiovascular care and improving lives in the community. 

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Genesis HealthCare System Receives Award for Life-saving Care

emily.griffin
Submitted by emily.griffin on

Genesis HealthCare System recently received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Resuscitation Gold Award for the ninth consecutive year. This national recognition highlights Genesis’ commitment to consistently providing evidence-based, life-saving care to patients who experience cardiac arrest while hospitalized. 

“Genesis is committed to delivering the highest-quality patient care,” said Heath Sholtis, Director of Pulmonary and Critical Care Services. “By meeting and exceeding the Get With The Guidelines high standards, we ensure every patient receives the most effective and proven treatments. It’s one of the many ways we’re working to ensure our community receives the care it deserves.”

Genesis earned the award for meeting strict performance standards for treating patients who suffer cardiac arrests in the hospital. These measures include protocols for patient safety, medical emergency team response, effective and timely resuscitation (CPR) and post-resuscitation care. 

Learn more about Genesis accreditations
American Heart Association Resuscitation 2025 GOLD

Genesis HealthCare System recently received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Resuscitation Gold Award for the ninth consecutive year.

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Genesis Heart & Vascular Institute among the first in Ohio to implement drug-coated balloon procedure

Kyle.Norton
Submitted by Kyle.Norton on

In the summer of 2024, the Genesis Heart & Vascular Institute began utilizing drug-coated balloons to treat in-stent restenosis.

 

This condition occurs when an artery that was previously opened with a stent becomes narrow again. The drug-coated balloon offers a minimally invasive method to deliver medication directly to the narrowed artery, helping to reduce the likelihood of restenosis or the regrowth of blockages after treatment.

 

During the procedure, a drug-coated balloon is guided through a thin tube from a blood vessel in the wrist or groin to the narrowed artery. Once in position, the balloon is inflated, allowing the medication to be delivered directly to the affected area, thereby opening the artery and restoring proper blood flow.

Perks

The drug-coated balloon procedure offers four key benefits:

  1. It avoids the need for an additional layer of metal in the artery.
  2. It can reduce the use of medications that may cause bleeding complications.
  3. It is minimally invasive.
  4. Most patients can go home the same day as the procedure.

This innovative option allows our heart doctors to effectively treat our community and keep hearts beating strong.
 

What is a minimally invasive procedure or surgery?

A minimally invasive procedure or surgery minimizes the size of the incision. In the case of the drug-coated balloon procedure, only one needle will puncture the skin once. The advantage is that minimally invasive procedures reduce healing time, pain, risk of infection and scarring.

 

More minimally invasive heart and vascular procedures at Genesis

 

 

 

Top 50 heart hospital

Genesis is one of America's Top 50 Heart Hospitals

For the 2nd year in a row, as rated by Fortune Magazine and PINC AI.

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Drug-coated Balloon

In the summer of 2024, the Genesis Heart & Vascular Institute began utilizing drug-coated balloons to treat in-stent restenosis.

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Continuing to earn our spot among the Top 50 Heart Hospitals in America

Kyle.Norton
Submitted by Kyle.Norton on

Thanks to the generosity of our community, the Genesis Heart & Vascular Institute recently became the first in Ohio to have a Veriton-Spect CT scanner. This innovative technology allows us to perform more diagnostic studies, thereby enhancing the level of care we provide. Scanning is completed in 12 minutes, reducing the time the patient is in the scanner by half.

 

Why the Veriton-Spect CT is special

One significant advantage of the Veriton-Spect CT scanner is its ability to detect Cardiac Amyloidosis.

 

This condition involves the accumulation of misshaped proteins in the heart, which can impair its function and eventually lead to heart failure.

 

To test for Cardiac Amyloidosis, patients typically have two or three appointments in one day. During the first appointment, a radioactive tracer is injected into a vein in the patient’s arm. The only sensation a patient will experience is a small pinprick from the injection needle, and the tracer will naturally exit the patient’s system within two days.

 

The tracer travels to the heart within one to three hours. During this waiting period, patients are free to eat, drink and move around. In the second appointment, the patient lies on a table while a technologist uses a special camera to scan the chest. Additional imaging may be required during a third appointment on the same day.

 

The scan produces detailed 3D high-resolution images of the whole body for your healthcare provider to review, helping to determine the best treatment options.

 

The addition of the Veriton-Spect CT scanner is yet another example of how Genesis continues to bring innovative heart care to our community.

 

Learn more at genesishcs.org/heart.

 

Top 50 heart hospital

Genesis is one of America's Top 50 Heart Hospitals

For the 2nd year in a row, as rated by Fortune Magazine and PINC AI.

Learn About This
Spect CT Scan

Thanks to the generosity of our community, the Genesis Heart & Vascular Institute recently became the first in Ohio to have a Veriton-Spect CT scanner.

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Genesis HealthCare System’s Heart & Vascular Institute Among the First in Ohio to Implement Procedure

Kyle.Norton
Submitted by Kyle.Norton on

Genesis HealthCare System’s Heart & Vascular Institute recently became among the first in Ohio to use drug-coated balloons to treat in-stent restenosis. A patient has restenosis when an artery previously opened with a stent narrows again. The drug-coated balloon is a minimally invasive way to deliver drugs to a narrowed artery to limit the amount of restenosis or blockage regrowth after treatment.

 

“Some patients who had a stent will require another stent at some point,” said Abdulhay Albirini, M.D., a Fellowship-trained and Board-certified Interventional Cardiologist at the Genesis Heart & Vascular Institute. “By using drug-coated balloons, we avoid adding an additional layer of metal and perhaps reduce the use of medications that can cause bleeding complications. We are grateful to continue introducing innovative procedures to benefit our community.”

 

The drug-coated balloon is inserted through a thin tube from a blood vessel in the wrist or groin to the narrowed artery. Once the balloon reaches the narrowed artery, it is inflated so the medication is distributed to the problem area. Most patients go home the same day as the procedure. 

 

Genesis Heart & Vascular Care

Through every aspect of Genesis Heart & Vascular Services, we are working to build a healthier future for our community.

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Abdulhay Albirini, M.D.

Genesis HealthCare System’s Heart & Vascular Institute recently became among the first in Ohio to use drug-coated balloons to treat in-stent restenosis.

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Genesis HealthCare System’s Vascular Services Recognized for 25 Consecutive Years of Accreditation

Kyle.Norton
Submitted by Kyle.Norton on

The Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) recently recognized Genesis HealthCare System’s Heart and Vascular Institute for earning accreditation for 25 consecutive years of vascular ultrasonographic testing.

 

“Reaching this milestone is a testament to the outstanding team at Genesis,” said Matt Perry, President and CEO of Genesis HealthCare System. “For the past quarter century, our physicians, advanced practice nurses, sonographers and leaders have dedicated themselves to true excellence in patient care. Technology has drastically improved; clinical knowledge and standards have increased. Our exceptional team of caregivers continues to bring the latest advancements in vascular care to each patient they serve.”

 

Accreditation from the IAC demonstrates our commitment to high-quality patient care. It demonstrates that the vascular lab at the Genesis Heart and Vascular Institute has surpassed a rigorous evaluation and met or exceeded industry standards while maintaining a commitment to continuous quality improvement. 

 

Genesis Heart & Vascular Care

Through every aspect of Genesis Heart & Vascular Services, we are working to build a healthier future for our community. 

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Heart & Vascular Accreditation

Accreditation from the IAC demonstrates our commitment to high-quality patient care.

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Because of you, we are a Top 50 Heart Hospital for the 2nd year in a row

Kyle.Norton
Submitted by Kyle.Norton on

In addition to rating hospitals, Fortune Magazine and PINC AI also rate the Top 50 Heart Hospitals because heart disease is the deadliest thing facing adults in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds.  

 

The seriousness of heart disease is also why, with your support, Genesis HealthCare System established the Heart & Vascular Institute. We adhere to the highest standards when recruiting physicians, surgeons and team members. We continually adopt proven new procedures and offer several minimally invasive options for common heart-related ailments.

 

Between the hundreds of team members who support our Heart & Vascular Institute and the thousands of community members who trust us with their health, we have the honor of being a Top 50 Heart Hospital for the second year in a row.

 

What does Top 50 Heart Hospital mean?

  • 28% fewer acute myocardial infarction (AMI) deaths and 50% fewer coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) deaths.

  • 32% fewer percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) and 38% fewer CABG  patients with complications. Higher 30-day survival rates for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF) and CABG patients (0.3 to 0.7% higher).

  • Higher 30-day survival rates for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF) and CABG patients (0.3 to 0.7% higher).

  • Lower 30-day readmission rates for AMI, HF and CABG patients (0.4 to 0.8% points lower).

  • Shorter average lengths of stay between patient groups – 0.3 for AMI, 0.6 for HF, 0.3 for PCI and one full day for CABG.

  • $2,503 to $9,931 less in total costs per patient case.

  • Patients had a better experience at top performing hospitals compared to the remaining peer hospitals, with a top-box Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) score of 71% versus 67%.

 

 

Top 50 Heart Hospital 2nd year

Between the hundreds of team members who support our Heart & Vascular Institute and the thousands of community members who trust us with their health, we have the honor of being a Top 50 Heart Hospital for the second year in a row.

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Genesis HealthCare System Receives Primary Stroke Recertification

emily.griffin
Submitted by emily.griffin on

Demonstrates high-quality stroke care

Genesis HealthCare System earned primary stroke recertification by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC). Primary stroke certification means Genesis can stabilize and treat acute stroke patients, provide acute care and administer tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), an FDA-approved treatment for ischemic strokes, as well as other therapies safely and efficiently. The recertification process occurs every three years with a mid-cycle review at 18 months.

“Achieving this recertification required the teamwork of our physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses and staff to provide life-saving care when they arrive at the Emergency Department and throughout their follow-up care,” said Keela Barker, Director of Rehabilitation & Ambulatory Services at Genesis. “Every minute is crucial when someone is having a stroke. The sooner patients receive care, the better their chances are for a good outcome.”

ACHC is a nonprofit organization that has stood as a symbol of quality and excellence since 1986. Certification by ACHC confirms that Genesis is providing high-quality care as determined by an independent, external process of evaluation.

To learn more about stroke care, visit genesishcs.org/neurosciences.

ACHC Primary Stroke Certification 2024

Genesis HealthCare System earned primary stroke recertification by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC).

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Genesis Heart & Vascular Institute achieves milestone for procedure that reduces risk of stroke

Kyle.Norton
Submitted by Kyle.Norton on

Genesis HealthCare System’s Vascular Surgery team recently completed its 200th TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR) procedure. The second most of any hospital in Ohio. TCAR is a less-invasive method for treating carotid artery disease that occurs when plaque builds up in one or both neck arteries, potentially causing strokes. Michael Kunstmann, D.O., Fellowship-trained and Board-certified Vascular Surgeon, and Lane Lee, D.O., Fellowship-trained and Board-certified Vascular Surgeon, perform the TCAR procedure. 
 


Dr. Kunstmann said, “Our goal at Genesis is to offer the safest, most beneficial treatments. The TCAR procedure meets the standards for reducing the risk of stroke, the fifth leading cause of death in the United States.”



The TCAR procedure starts by making a small incision in the neck. Next, a tube is inserted into the carotid artery and connected to equipment to direct blood flow away from the brain temporarily. The blood is filtered before returning to a vein in the groin. The procedure reduces the risk of stroke, chances of complications, scarring and procedure time compared to carotid endarterectomy. Most patients return home the day after the procedure.

To learn more about heart and vascular care at Genesis, visit genesishcs.org/heart.

 

TCAR Milestone

Genesis HealthCare System’s Vascular Surgery team recently completed its 200th TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR) procedure.

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Catheter Ablation Procedure: What you need to know

emily.griffin
Submitted by emily.griffin on

Catheter ablation is a minimally invasive procedure to treat atrial fibrillation (AFib).

1. What is AFIB?

It is a common type of heart arrhythmia that causes the heart to beat irregularly. It occurs when the upper chambers of the heart no longer contract in coordination.

2. What are the symptoms?

This can occur without symptoms or may make you feel tired, lightheaded, short of breath or a fluttering sensation in your chest.

3. Is AFib dangerous?

When your heart beats irregularly with AFib, it can lead to blood clots, especially in the left atrial appendage (LAA) of the heart. In this scenario, you are five times more likely to have a stroke than someone with a regular heartbeat. Although blood thinners can reduce your risk of stroke, medications create other dangers, including bleeding.

4. Are patients awake during the procedure?

Patients receive medication to help them relax. A local anesthetic will numb the site where the catheter is inserted. Occasional general anesthesia is used.

5. How is a catheter ablation performed?

Thin, flexible tubes called catheters are inserted into a vein in the groin and move into the heart. There is an electrode at the tip of each catheter. The electrode sends radio waves that create heat. The heat is delivered to the heart tissues that causes AFib. You can watch a video explaining the procedure by clicking here.

6. How long is the patient in the hospital?

If performed as an outpatient you may go home the same day or be discharged the next day.

7. Who performs the procedure? 

The EP team.

Make an appointment

Talk to your doctor to determine if catheter ablation is right for you.

Top 50 heart hospital

Genesis is one of America's Top 50 Heart Hospitals

For the 2nd year in a row, as rated by Fortune Magazine and PINC AI.

Learn About This
Catheter Ablation Procedure: What you need to know

Catheter ablation is a minimally invasive procedure to treat atrial fibrillation (AFib).

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