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Cardiology

Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute Expansion Fulfills Expectations

Ask any doctor who works at Miami “It’s an environment where you feel
Cardiac & Vascular Institute if the $120 comfortable to ask, ‘Hey, what else can we
million expansion has made a difference do?’ We cross the lines of different special-
one year later, and the answer will be a ties to come up with the best solution,” Dr.
resounding yes. Peña said.
“The expansion allows us to treat more The hybrid operating rooms are separate
patients with more efficiency and to offer from conventional interventional suites to
more effective therapies,” said Con - meet a growing demand for structural
stantino Peña, M.D., medical director of heart cases that require extreme sterility,
vascular imaging and an interventional including valve implants, trans catheter
radiologist at the Institute. “The Institute aortic valve replacements and mitral valve
has always been a leader in offering the repairs.
best and most advanced technology and “When everything is done in one place Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute
procedures. We just outgrew the space.” with the right tools and technology, the
Since the Institute was founded in 1987 process goes smoother and it simplifies the
within the walls of Baptist Hospital, its 76 overall procedure. At the end of the day, to be on top of what’s com-
physician members have been recognized the true beneficiaries of the improvements ing next and determining
as pioneers of less-invasive techniques to in space and rooms are the patients,” Dr. therapies before they are
treat heart disease, stroke and aneurysms. Quesada said. considered a standard treat-
Their names are regularly seen as authors Physicians and staff members con- ment.
of academic papers detailing research out- tributed to planning the renovation and “The expansion is anoth-
comes of physician driven studies. expansion, which totals 150,000 square er step in the evolution of
“The improvements and expansion of feet. Physician leaders traveled to The our philosophy of innova-
the laboratories gave us a better place to Netherlands to talk with catheter lab tion at Miami Cardiac &
treat our complex patients with structural designers about the most advanced way a Vascular Institute. It’s been
heart disease,” said Ramon Quesada, lab should be set up, from the lighting to an incredible journey to
M.D., medical director of the structural the overall environment to the imaging start at a small community
heart and complex percutaneous coronary technology. Engineers and designers also hospital and build a Dr. Constantino Peña Dr. Ramon Quesada
intervention programs at the Institute. came to the Institute to meet with physi- patient-care driven sophis-
A centerpiece of the expansion is four cians on site. ticated center,” Dr. Quesada edge. To be able to take something like
large hybrid operating rooms that easily “We all had significant input, and that said. that and make it even better, even more
accommodate any type of image-guided was important for us. As a result, the labs “What I really like about the expansion cutting edge, taking it and giving it a futur-
procedure and allow physicians of various are a first of their kind in the world,” Dr. is the state-of-the-art environment that it istic side, preparing us for the next 15
disciplines to work together to create Quesada said. has created. A lot of people would say, ‘Yes, years – that’s what’s exciting for me,” Dr.
unique solutions for patients’ problems in Research is critical to the mission of the but the Institute before the expansion was Peña said.
the treatment of aortic and other Institute. Doctors are involved in multiple state-of-the-art.’ And it’s true. Even though “It’s a beautiful place to work with really
aneurysms and complex vascular disease. areas at multiple levels, which allows them it was 30 years old, it was still cutting incredible comradery,” Dr. Peña said.

Cover Story: Local Cardiologist Elected President of the Florida

Chapter of the American College of Cardiology

Continued from page 1 One personal challenge is that it can management techniques.” events. It’s tragic what we see and how
Dr. Perloff also points with special sometimes be difficult to balance your On top of all this, due to the current hard we have to advocate for our patients
pride that FMC’s Heart Institute of personal life with your professional life. political environment, there is also to get the basics that they need. If we’re
Florida, the hospital’s center for cardiac "We are an incredibly dedicated group uncertainty in medicine. Patients are not fighting for our patients right to
services, is a Joint Commission Certified of people who deal with a specialty that is gaining insurance and losing insurance, basic care, no one else is.”
Advanced Primary Stroke Center, life or death at any minute,” says Dr. says Dr. Perloff. In his new role as president of the
Accredited Chest Pain Center with PCI. Perloff. “We end up doing a lot of charity care Florida Chapter of the ACC and a gover-
“FMC is also highly engaged in the Dr. Perloff and his wife have a 4-year- and take care of those who need help,” nor for the National American College of
community performing outreach such as old and a 12-year-old and he is constant- he says. “It’s an incredible task on a reg- Cardiology, Dr. Perloff hopes to address all
teaching people CPR and how to recog- ly trying to balance his need to take care ular basis. You go home, go to bed and three of these challenges moving forward.
nize signs of stroke,” says Dr. Perloff. of his patients but at the same time not have to repeat it again. It feels like trying Despite these challenges, Dr. Perloff
“They are also putting a lot of effort into being so overworked that he neglects his to drink from a fire hose.” calls cardiology a rewarding profession.
improving the cardiac program overall.” family. And it’s not just family. He says it’s In general, Dr. Perloff says that cardiol- “I go home at the end of every day feel-
In particular, he says that FMC is a a challenge to take care of yourself as ogists spend a lot of time advocating for ing that I made a difference in the
recipient of the Healthgrades Coronary well—exercising and eating right. their patients. He personally spends a lot world,” he says. “Every day, I know fac-
Intervention Excellence Award™ and “We all have these challenges,” he says. of time on the phone with insurance tually that I have changed people’s lives
ranked among the Top 10% in the nation “I’m not unique. We all have a lot of companies who are trying to deny his and helped them measuredly by prevent-
for cardiology services in 2014, ranked responsibilities. Balancing our lives is the patients care. It can become frustrating, ing adverse cardiac events and taking
among the Top 10% in the nation for toughest of all the challenges that we he says. care of their issues. That’s what is amaz-
coronary interventional procedures in face.” “We’re perplexed that as one of the ing about cardiology. You can take some-
2014, and is a five-star recipient for both The current environment of medicine richest nations in the world, we are the one who is dying in front of you, bring
coronary interventional procedures and also poses a challenge for cardiologists, he only industrialized country that does not them back to life, take them back to the
for the treatment of heart failure. adds. “We are facing a situation where cover all of our citizens with healthcare,” cath lab and open up their arteries, and
“They have a clear commitment to tak- doctors are working harder and harder. he adds. “We’re not talking about high- let them go on to live the next 40 years
ing the institution forward and making it Medical information doubles at an incred- end Cadillac type of care where everyone of their lives that they would never have
into something that is a gem in South ible rate about every seven years. I spend a gets Botox treatments. We’re talking had if I had not been standing there.
Florida,” says Dr. Perloff. huge amount of time just to stay up with about basic, healthcare needs. If some- That feeling is irreplaceable.”
As a cardiologist, there are three primary the current literature and translate those one has diabetes, they should get insulin
challenges that Dr. Perloff says his profes- new advances into my patients. Every time or if someone has a heart attack, they can For more information, visit
sion faces: personal, the current medical a patient comes in we may have new get appropriate care in the acute phase www.floridamedctr.com.
environment, and health insurance. advances in cholesterol or hypertension and in the long-term to prevent further

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com February 2018 17