Broward Health Coral Springs has expanded its cardiac program with a state-of-the art cardiac catheterization lab. This new lab, which includes four pre-and-post-procedure patient care bays and is equipped with the latest patient monitoring technology, is part of the hospital’s initiative to provide patients with advanced and critical life-saving cardiac procedures close to home.

When it comes to heart care, time is of the essence.Having a cardiac catheterization labat your community hospital allows physicians to quickly determine the next steps in treatment.

“Combined with Broward Health physicians’ clinical expertise, this new lab is a great example of our commitment to enhance services for our growing community in Broward’s northwest corridor,” said Jared Smith, CEO of Broward Health Coral Springs. “The cardiac catheterization lab performs a variety of diagnostic tests associated with cardiac and vascular diseases.”

Smith said that from screening and diagnosing, to treating cardiovascular disease, the center’s goal is to help improve the overall health of the community, particularly as patients will be treated closer to home. BrowardHealth Coral Springs anticipates meeting STEMI(ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction) criteria in 2021so that the most acute heart attack patients will be able to receive critical interventional care.

The new cath lab is the latest capital improvement made in cardiac care at Broward Health. The health system has a 50-plus-year history in advanced cardiac care, dating back to the 1960s when Broward Health opened the first follow-up pacemaker clinic in the country. In the 1970s, the first cardiac cath lab and open heart surgery took place at Broward Health. The healthcare system has been distinguished as one of the nation’s top centers for cardiovascular treatment and provides comprehensive clinical, surgical and rehabilitative care.

Broward Health, providing service for more than 80 years, is a nationally recognized system in South Florida that offers world-class healthcare to all. The Broward Health system includes the statutory teaching hospital Broward Health Medical Center, Broward Health North, Broward Health Imperial Point, Broward Health Coral Springs, Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital, Broward Health Weston, Broward Health Community Health Services, Broward Health Physician Group, Broward Health Urgent Care, Broward Health International, and Broward Health Foundation. For more information, visit BrowardHealth.org.