Skaggs, Washington University form cardiac surgery partnership

Skaggs Community Health Center in Branson will partner with the Washing-ton University School of Medicine in St. Louis to make open-heart surgery available in the Branson region.

Under the guidance of Ralph J. Damiano Jr., MD, the university will help provide the expertise and experience needed for a successful cardiac surgery program at the 111-bed community hospital, according to a Skaggs press release.

Damiano is chief of cardiac surgery at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis and the John M. Shoenberg professor of surgery at Washington University.

"Our vision for cardiac surgery in Branson would be to have Skaggs Community Health Center performing the full spectrum of adult cardiac surgery and to develop a reputation for high-quality, patient-oriented care," Damiano said.

Skaggs Chief Executive Officer and Administrator Bob Phillips said the affiliation, the culmination of many years of planning, will be beneficial for Skaggs and the university, as well as the community.

"We're excited to announce our partnership with the Washington University Medical School, which has a reputation as one of the best in the nation and whose cardiac services program recently ranked among the top in the nation," Phillips said.

Heart surgeries that could be performed at Skaggs include all major chest procedures, cardiac valve replacement, coronary bypass grafting and other cardiothoracic procedures. The only adult cardiac surgeries performed at Washington University that won't be offered at Skaggs are robotic surgery and heart transplantation.

Under the affiliation, Washington Uni-versity will develop the protocol, procedures and quality review for the Skaggs cardiac program, help recruit a skilled and qualified heart surgeon, provide backup surgeons as needed, help train Skaggs' cardiac services staff, provide consultation and training via interactive satellite television, and meet regularly with Skaggs officials to review and assess the program.

According to the release, Washington University will benefit from the affiliation by extending its region of coverage and by providing its students with an excellent opportunity for training in a busy community hospital setting, in addition to the training they already receive in the urban hospital.

"With our population growing rapidly and the large number of visitors to our community, many of them elderly, it has been evident for some time that there has been an unmet need for cardiac surgical care," Phillips said. "Very, very few community hospitals of our size offer a complete cardiac program. We are confident that our affiliation with Washington University will ensure a successful program from the very beginning."

Currently in the Branson Tri-Lakes Area, cardiac patients can receive a broad range of cardiac services with the exception of cardiovascular surgery. Heart patients can receive stabilizing emergency treatment at Skaggs' emer-gency department. Cardiovascular problems can be diagnosed and treated with procedures done at Skaggs' catheteriza-tion lab. The hospital's Cardiac Rehab-ilitation Unit, the release said, provides "life-enhancing" rehabilitation after heart attack, surgery or other invasive cardiac procedure. On the hospital staff are four physicians who specialize in cardiovascular disease.

A Skaggs task force researched the need for and feasibility of providing open-heart surgeries at the hospital. In April 2000, the Missouri Health Facili-ties Review Committee approved Skaggs' request for a state-required certificate of need for a $16.4 million hospital renovation and construction project.

The first phase in the project was the renovation and expansion of an existing surgical suite to be used exclusively for cardiovascular surgery, and the outfitting of a second surgical suite for backup purposes. The renovation, which has been under way for several months and is partially completed, covers approximately 4,400 square feet of existing space and will require specialized equipment valued at up to $1 million, according to Skaggs Chief Operating Officer Don Miller.