EP Lab combines technology and skill to heal heart rate disorders
Today, more people than ever before are being treated for heart rhythm disorders, as modern medical advances help patients improve and restore their quality of life.
Lancaster General is recognized as a leader in treating these often debilitating heart conditions. Now with the recent addition of two advanced electrophysiology and pacing (EP) labs, the Lancaster General Heart Center is able to continue its commitment to provide patients with quality care.
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Pictured is one of the new state-of-the-art EP Lab
rooms at Lancaster General, where patients with
heart rate disorders are treated. More than 3,000
patients are treated every year in the EP Lab at
Lancaster General. |
These labs expand the electrophysiologists (specialty trained cardiologists) capability to treat a variety of arrhythmias and heart disorders through procedures such as atrial fibrillation ablation and defibrillator or pacemaker implantation. The Heart Center now features two device implantation rooms and two biplane general procedure rooms, enabling the team to handle twice as many cases as before.
But it took more than state-of-the-art technology to be recognized in 2004 and 2005 as one of the top 50 heart and heart surgery hospitals in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report. The Heart Center has highly skilled electophysiologists and well-trained, dedicated EP technicians and RNs who provide thorough care for even the most complex cases.
“The quality of the procedural outcomes here are high because of the resources we have, and because of our highly trained staff,” says Douglas Gohn, MD, Electrophysiology and Pacing Medical Director at the Heart Center.
“I couldn’t do the things I want to do without this facility,” Dr. Gohn says. “It provides us with a unique opportunity to do complex procedures for our patients.”
Less waiting, less anxiety
Along with upgrading the EP procedure rooms with the latest technology, Lancaster General has increased its staff of EP technologists and sedation nurses. In addition, twice as many electrophysiologists are using the rooms, assuring that patients are able to receive prompt, quality care at Lancaster General.
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Atrial Fibrillation
Dr. Douglas Gohn will hold a free
Focus on Health program on atrial
fibrillation on Tuesday, Sept. 19
at 6:30 p.m. at Brethren Village in
the Fieldcrest Great room, 3001
Lititz Pike, Lititz. Click here
to register on line, or call
(800) 341-2121. |
“We are performing more than 3,000 procedures a year in our EP Lab,” says Andi Hostetter, RN, BS, Director of Electrophysiology and Pacemaker Services at the Heart Center. “A lot of people have been helped in this lab, and volumes are expected to increase even more over the next 10 years.”
Fortunately, that does not mean longer waiting times or delays for patients.
To reduce a patient’s anxiety usually felt in those moments before the procedure, the EP Lab nurses have created the Pre-EP Clinic. Now patients come in one day prior to their procedure to take care of those pre-procedure details that were previously handled the day of the procedure.
“Our goal is to get a patient into procedure within 60 minutes of arrival,” Andi says. So far, the program has been successful in identifying issues that delay start times.
The Pre-EP clinic nurses evaluate if a patient is safe for sedation and identify if there are any problems that need to be addressed before the procedure, Dr. Gohn says. This prevents problems on the morning of the procedure postponing the procedure.
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Dr. Douglas Gohn, Electro-
physiology and Pacing Medical
Director at the Heart Center,
is able to perform complex
procedures for patients
thanks to this facility. |
“As a result of this program, our postponement rate is extremely low,” Dr. Gohn says.
Tara Ziegler, EP Lab Supervisor, says that patients will soon receive a virtual tour of the procedure during their Pre-EP Clinic visit so they know exactly where to go and what to expect when they arrive.
“It will ease the patient’s mind and give him or her a few less things to worry about on the day of the procedure,” Tara says. “When the day arrives, they are more comfortable and ready to go.”
EP Internship Program
While there is still a lack of formal EP technologist education programs nationwide, Lancaster General has addressed this growing need. We started our own EP educational internship program and are now a healthcare leader in EP Lab training.
“This is an extremely specialized area of treating heart arrhythmias,” says Letitia Esbenshade-Smith, Staff Educator, Cardiac Electrophysiology Internship at Lancaster General. “In the past, staff received on-the-job training, which was fine for a small lab.” Today, with the EP Lab involved in many more complex procedures, greater skill and preparation is needed more than ever before to meet the needs of the patient.
“We offer our community the latest technology,” Letitia says. “But having highly trained technologists is what enables us to provide patients with quality care.”
Before joining our EP Lab staff, EP technologists first complete a rigorous year-long clinical training program, during which they are always supervised and learn about the teamwork necessary to run a successful lab.
“It is highly specialized and very intense,” Letitia says. But those who complete the program have demonstrated both the skill and desire to be an EP technologist.
Electrophysiologists depend upon that support during every procedure performed in the EP Lab.
“Our lab staff is extremely skilled,” Dr. Gohn says. “I need to know that the staff in the EP Lab can step up and do their jobs on their own. You can’t just go out find people like that in the marketplace.”
With highly skilled personnel and state-of-the-art technology, the Lancaster General Heart Center is able to provide the Lancaster community with convenient, quality care close to home.
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