The Heart Services at Fairfield Medical Center utilize the latest technology to provide the highest quality of cardiac diagnostic testing. The employees of the Cardiovascular Department are made up of highly trained physicians, therapists, nurses, and technicians with many years of experience.
Cardiovascular Services include a wide variety of testing such as EKGs, Holter Monitors, Cardiac Stress Testing, Echocardiograms, Event Monitoring, Lower Extremity Doppler, and EEGs. All of these diagnostics procedures can be performed on an outpatient basis.
The Cardiovascular Suite is located in the new north addition of the hospital and can be accessed from the new parking garage. The department performs over 12,000 EKG’s, 2500 cardiac stress tests, 5000 Echocardiograms, 500 Holter Monitors, and 400 LED’s per year.
Angiography
Ambulatory Monitoring of Blood Pressure
Fairfield Medical Center is offering monitoring of blood pressures for 24 to 48 hours. It is available through Cardiovascular Outpatient Services Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM till 5:30 PM
Located at the North Waiting area, any physician may order this service and it needs to scheduled with your doctors office and the Central Scheduling department at Fairfield Medical Center by calling (740) 687-8666.
Patient will come to the North Entrance registration, then be directed to the North Area Waiting area to check in. Patients should bath or shower on the day of having monitor placed (Patient may not shower or bath while monitor is in place) and wear comfortable clothing.
A Respiratory Assistant will place a blood pressure cuff on the patient’s arm to be worn continuously for the next 24 to 48 hours according to the doctor's order.
The blood pressure cuff will be attached to a small monitor box that will record your blood pressures throughout the day. (Every 20 minutes from 6:00 AM till 10:00 PM with an audible beep at start of measurement, from 10:00PM until 6:00 am every hour without the audible beep.)
The monitor can be slipped in a pocket or wore on a belt. Simple instructions will be given to the patient. The patient does not need to keep a record, diary or worry about activating any blood pressures themselves. Everything is completely automatic.
The patient will then return the monitor when instructed by Respiratory Assistant
Monitor will be downloaded and a report will be sent to the ordering physician.
Arrhythmia Clinic
The doctor implants the device and the Arrhythmia Clinic monitors the device, to ensure that it continually functions at the proper level, which allows patients to lead active normal lives. Patients come to the clinic to have their internal cardiac defibrillator devices checked; other devices can be checked by phone. This is a 30-minute, painless process. Fairfield Medical Center’s Arrhythmia Clinic has been in operation for 10 years. It is staffed with 3 fulltime registered nurses.
The clinic is open Monday-Friday, 7:00am-5:00pm.
Cardiac Event Monitoring
A Holter Monitor is a monitor that a patient wears for 24-48 hours while it records the patient’s heartbeat. This monitor is applied at the Medical Center and the patient has five electrodes placed on their chest. These electrodes are attached to a small box that is attached to a belt that is worn around your waist.
The monitor is brought back to the hospital 24-48 hours later and the results are downloaded and scanned. A report is generated and interpreted by a specialist and then sent to your family physician. This test is used to determine if your heart is having any irregular rhythms or heartbeats. A diary is kept that is used to keep track of any symptoms while you are wearing the monitor.
Cardiac Cath LAB
We perform Diagnostic Heart Cath, Cardiac/Peripheral Interventions, Implantable devices i.e. pacemakers and ICD’s; Kyphoplasty, Tips, IVC Filters, Central Lines, Dialysis Catheters, and Carotid/Cerebral Angiograms.
Our labs are staffed with registered nurses and special procedure technologists. Currently, we have 5 diagnostic cardiologists, 3 interventionists, and 6 rotating interventional radiologists.
Cardiac Cath lab at Fairfield Medical Center has been operational for 9 years. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 6:30am-6:00pm, with 24 hour Call Coverage. Recently, we expanded from two labs to four, with one dedicated to peripheral procedures.
Cath Lab Recovery Unit
Located just off the Observation Unit in the North Addition, the Cath Lab Recovery Unit serves patients who are undergoing a cardiac procedure such as a heart cath, pacemaker insertion, as well as several other specialized diagnostic tests and procedures including invasive X-Ray procedures. Patients are cared for specially trained Registered Nurses and Heart/Lung Techs under the direction of their cardiologist or radiologist.
Patients are prepared for their procedure or test in the Cath Lab Recovery area and are closely monitored after their procedure until they are ready to go home or to their hospital room. Patients who are in this area have their own private space with a television and room for visitors at their bedside.
The Cath Lab Recovery Unit operates Monday through Friday from 6am until as late at 10 or 11 pm.
Cardiac Observation Unit
The Observation Unit is a 10 bed unit located in the new North Addition. This unit serves patients who need short term treatment of an emergent condition such as chest pain, asthma or overnight observation after a cardiac catheterization. The average length of stay is 23 hours. Patients admitted to this unit will be cared for by a specially trained Registered Nurses and Heart/Lung Techs in conjunction with their physician. Each patient area has a private room with a heart monitor, telephone, television, space for visitors and a semi-private bathroom.
Electrocardiogram (EKG)
An EKG is a test that consists on placing electrodes on a patient’s chest, to record the electrical activity of the heart. An EKG is used to measure the rate and regularity of heartbeats as well as the size of the chambers. The test can tell if there has been any damage to the heart, or if a patient is having a heart attack. Once the EKG is performed, a specialist reads, the test and a copy is given to your family physician. This test only takes about 5-10 minutes to complete.
Echocardiogram
An Echocardiogram is an ultrasound of your heart. This test consists of placing a transducer on a patient’s chest to take two-dimensional pictures of the heart. This test evaluates the function of the four chambers of the heart to see if they are pumping blood properly. This test also evaluates the valves of the heart to determine if they are opening and closing properly. Once this test is completed the Cardiologist will review the study and create the report. This report will then be distributed to your family physician.
Electroencephalograph (EEG)
EEG is a test that reads the electrical activity of the brain. Small electrodes are attached to the scalp with conductive cream. There is no pain associated with attaching the electrodes. An EEG is used to assist in the diagnosing disorders such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, dementia or any other changes in brainwave activity. This test usually takes one and half-hours to complete. The brain waves are recorded and stored on the hard drive. A neurologist reads the test and a report is sent to the family physician.
Lower Extremity Doppler
A Lower Extremity Doppler is a test that is performed to evaluate the circulation or blood flow in the legs. This test consists of placing blood pressure cuffs on a patient’s legs and obtaining Doppler waveforms on the patient’s arteries of the leg. This test takes about 1 hour to complete. Once the test is complete, it is printed off and the results are given to a physician that specializes in this field and they interpret the results. Once the test is read, a copy is given to your family physician.
Stress Tests
A Cardiac Stress Test is a screening test that is used to determine if a patient is not getting enough blood flow or potential blockage during exercise. This test is also used to determine exercise capacity. This test consists of 10 electrodes being placed on patient’s chest to monitor the heart rhythm. The patient walks on a treadmill until his/her heart rate reaches a set level based on age.
The physician is present during the test and monitors the heart rhythm to determine if any changes on the EKG take place. The patient’s blood pressure is monitored during the procedure. The stress test may include Cardiolite. A Cardiolite test includes 2 injections of a nuclear medicine, and two sets of nuclear images or heart pictures to help determine the potential blockage. A regular stress test takes 1 hour while the Cardiolite test takes 4-5 hours.
Cardiopulmonary Stress Test is performed on a bike or treadmill with a mouthpiece placed in the mouth and nose clips on the patient’s nose. The patient is either riding a bike or walking on a treadmill while information is collected to determine the patient’s exercise tolerance, effects on the heart and the maximal oxygen consumption. All the information is collected and used per the Doctor that is present.
