New Clinical Trial Looks at Outcomes of Cardiac Services at Community Hospitals

WEST CHESTER—West Chester Hospital and UC Health cardiologists have been selected to participate in a national clinical trial looking at whether or not there are differences in the outcome of angioplasty when performed in hospitals that do not offer cardiac surgery versus hospitals with heart surgery capabilities.

Cardiologists with UC Health, Ohio Heart and Vascular Center and Middletown Cardiovascular Associates will be providing coronary angioplasty and stenting services at West Chester, which did not previously offer these procedures.

Massoud Leesar, MD, medical director of the cardiac catheterization lab at West Chester and UC Health cardiologist, says this study will not only provide important data for the treatment of cardiac patients but will also provide necessary care in a more convenient location.

"This will most definitely improve access to care for patients in this area,” he says.

Cardiac services available include inpatient congestive heart failure care, cardiac imaging, electrophysiology and coronary and peripheral angioplasty.

The study allows smaller community hospitals to provide advanced catheter-based therapies to local patients and will help determine if angioplasty success and complication rates are the same at hospitals with and without cardiac surgery capabilities.

The trial is being conducted in conjunction with the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions and a number of other institutions nationwide.

Seventy-five percent of the study participants will be randomly assigned to receive treatment at West Chester Hospital, and 25 percent will be transferred to a tertiary care hospital with heart surgery capabilities for the procedure.

After stenting, participants will receive follow-up care from their physicians regardless of where their procedures were performed.

"This trial could greatly impact the future of cardiac care at smaller community hospitals, helping patients receive the care they need in a more timely manner closer to home,” Leesar says.

"This is an important step for the hospital to provide this level of cardiac care service to the community,” adds Kevin Joseph, MD, interim president of West Chester Hospital and UC Health physician. "Emergency medicine squads will now be able to bring patients herewhich they were not previously able to do, saving time and potentially lives.”

Neal Weintraub, MD, professor and director of the UC Health cardiovascular diseases division, says these new services will add convenience for patients.

"Access to certain services will be improved,” he says. "These new services offer substantial upgrades in technology and allow us to provide more comprehensive care for more patients. These cardiologists bring substantial expertise to the program and will ensure that the new services are of the highest quality.

"We believe that citizens of West Chester, Liberty Township and Butler County will recognize and appreciate these new services,” he adds. "Cardiac care will be strengthened, improving West Chester Hosptial’s position as a regional center of excellence.”