After three years of planning and construction, Hilo Medical Center has opened its second catheterization laboratory.
Specifically the new lab will serve cardiology, peripheral vascular and interventional radiology patients.
In recent years, HMC has worked to expand cardiac care in East Hawaii by establishing the new cath lab and hiring several cardiologists.
HMC personnel gathered Tuesday morning in front of the $5 million cath lab for a blessing by kahu Kimo Awai.
The lab will double the capacity for cardiology patients and for emergencies.
“This is a great addition for our community, and it has been a long time coming,” said interventional cardiologist Carl Juneau. “All of us are excited that we can serve more patients efficiently. It is great to see everyone’s hard work being blessed in front of us.”
Both labs will have similar capabilities and will be used by HMC’s cardiologists, vascular surgeons and radiologists.
“This new lab provides a safety net for people having emergencies and heart attacks,” said Jeanean Dillard, director of interventional images. “This brings more flexibility to our services to keep more people on island, which is very important to us.”
Before the second cath lab was complete, there were issues with the original lab that caused it to close for some time. Some patients had to travel to other islands to seek emergency care, risking additional health problems due to delayed treatment.
“It’s important to note that emergencies don’t happen one at a time, and now we can handle more at a time,” said cardiologist Lindsey Trutter.”We can flexibly use both labs whenever we need to, which will be a huge difference for patients.”
The new lab is a straight shot from the ambulance bay through the Emergency Department to better serve heart attack patients.
During its first day of use, cardiologists plan to treat three separate patients in the new lab, as well as any new cases that pop up throughout the day.
“Today’s celebration of our second cath lab is a culmination of many years of effort to establish cardiology services in our community,” said Dan Brinkman, CEO of Hilo Medical Center. “We credit the will of our community and our Hawaii Island legislative leaders, especially that of Congressman Kai Kahele and Representative Mark Nakashima, that made this cath lab possible.”
HMC received capital improvement project allocations from the state totaling $5 million for the new cath lab, $2.6 million for the lobby renovation, and $2.9 million for the orthopedic and cardiology clinics.
“I’m excited for our hardworking physicians and staff as they now have the tools necessary to save more lives. This lab will also provide for the growth of vascular and interventional radiology services, which are much needed in our community,” Brinkman said.
The construction at the East Hawaii Health Cancer Center also is moving along and is set to be complete by fall. The new space will allow for more specialty care and will give staff more room in the busy building.
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com