Saint Francis Announces Affiliation With Cleveland Clinic for Cardiovascular Services
Saint Francis Medical Center announced a new affiliation today with Cleveland Clinic’s Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute, which will offer patients in the region access to even better cardiac care. With this affiliation, Saint Francis’ Heart Hospital will have access to the best practices that have helped Cleveland Clinic’s heart program achieve the No. 1 ranking from U.S. News and World Report for 19 consecutive years.
“With this affiliation, Saint Francis’ already exceptional cardiac care is taken to the next level,” said Steven C. Bjelich, FACHE-D, President and Chief Executive Officer at Saint Francis. “With our selection as Missouri’s only hospital with this affiliation, we have the opportunity to collaborate with Cleveland Clinic, strengthening all elements of cardiovascular medicine and cardiovascular surgery at Saint Francis.”
In January 2013, Cleveland Clinic began a six-month review of every element of the cardiology and cardiovascular surgery at Saint Francis. The review included three site visits from physicians as well as the Cardiovascular Program Director at Cleveland Clinic. Key stakeholders within the Heart Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic team took a critical look at physicians, staff, patient care delivery, invasive and non-invasive cardiology, and electrophysiology.
At the conclusion of the review, representatives of Cleveland Clinic provided a report with a plan on further development and enhancement of our cardiac services. The Saint Francis Healthcare System Board accepted the invitation to affiliate formally with the Cleveland Clinic and to pursue their plan.
Based on those recommendations, an action plan has been developed. Cleveland Clinic will collaborate with Saint Francis staff on how to deal with complex medical situations and utilize the newest technologies and innovations. They will also share best practice knowledge in all the cardiac sub-specialties.
“Our ultimate goal is to improve patient outcomes,” said Edward M. Bender, MD, FACS, cardiothoracic surgeon at Saint Francis. “Our Heart Hospital has a reputation as a top-notch institution. Now, we have access to the most groundbreaking treatments and practices in the country.”
This new affiliation means that physicians and medical professionals will travel from Cleveland Clinic to Saint Francis to collaborate with physicians and surgeons on improving care, quality and outcomes.
“When we see patients, we will have even more experts weighing in on the best treatments for each particular case,” added Bender. “In some situations, access to the latest protocols could save our patients’ lives.”
With 50 private rooms, Saint Francis’ nationally-recognized Heart Hospital provides a full range of cardiac care from a highly-skilled team of cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons. Staff members provide a full suite of cardiovascular care with advanced diagnostics, leading-edge cardiac interventions and surgeries, risk assessments and rehabilitation.
Saint Francis is a 282-bed facility serving more than 650,000 people throughout Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas. Guided by our mission to provide a ministry of healing and wellness inspired by our Christian philosophy and values, we have become a progressive, innovative regional tertiary care referral center. Our major service lines, which have received national recognition, include the Neurosciences Institute; Saint Francis Orthopedic Institute; Family BirthPlace, featuring the region’s first Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Heart Hospital; Saint Francis Emergency and Trauma Center with Convenient Care; Cancer Institute; and Fitness Plus. In 2011, Saint Francis opened its 208,000-square-foot combined Heart Hospital Cancer Institute, where patients have access to advanced treatments and technology – under one convenient roof. Saint Francis is proud to be ranked on Modern Healthcare magazine’s prestigious Best Places to Work in Healthcare list for six years in row (2008-2013).