Hartford Business Journal

Trinity Health Of New England: Bringing Heart Health to Your Doorstep SPONSORED CONTENT Richard Soucier, MD Regional Cardiology Physician Executive Trinity Health Of New England F ebruary means it's time to talk about your heart. And while heart month comes around every year, talking about Cardiovascular care is more important now than ever before, with many patients delaying care because of the pandemic, and perhaps, picking up some bad habits along the way. In a conversation with Rick Soucier, M.D., Trinity Health Of New England's Regional Cardiology Physician Executive and Chief of Cardiology at Saint Francis Hospital, we discuss their commitment to cutting-edge, patient- centered programs of integrated Cardiovascular care. Q: Trinity Health Of New England's Cardiovascular Services offers top-of- the-line programs to patients, at the lowest cost, regardless of where they live. Can you explain how that works? A: We understand the importance of care close to home connected to a safe, top- quality acute care hospital and system. We have been building a robust, regional care model across the state to make that possible. For example, if you need to access care in Waterbury, perhaps a stress test, a visit to a cardiologist to manage your lipids, even a cardiac catheterization, all of that is available locally. Then, if you need a more sophisticated procedure, like an aortic valve replacement, we're able to do that within network in Hartford. By embracing this approach, we're able to increase access to the most modern cardiovascular procedures in the region through the Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute at Saint Francis Hospital. Q: Can you tell us a little more about the history of the Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute? A: We're proud that we're more than 20 years into this program! It was formed in 1991 with a goal to provide both heart and vascular care from the medical and surgical side. This gave us a more comprehensive approach than anyone else was doing at the time. And while others have picked up on it since, we're now in a very mature program, and two decades later, we've honed this collaborative process. Some of our greatest achievements are in our advanced offerings for interventional and non-invasive cardiology. We believe strongly in the population health approach, working to identify patients early with risk factors like diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and obesity. By doing this, we can help patients across the spectrum of heart disease, from early prevention, all the way to end stage heart failure. Q: What are some of the latest developments within the Cardiovascular Services offered by Trinity Health Of New England? A: We're proud to have opened a regional, comprehensive A-fib Center of Excellence. Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of heart arrhythmia, and the most common cause of stroke in the United States. Through the center, we can offer the Convergent Procedure to manage refractory A-fib in patients with significant symptoms. In addition, our integrated multidisciplinary peripheral- vascular program includes surgery, cardiology, podiatry, and interventional radiology. Another great example is the development and launch of a Regional Heart Failure program, including offerings in advanced heart failure like ECMO, Impella, and durable left ventricular assist devices (VADs). We're really proud to be taking advantage of our lesson's learned from over 20 years of a multidisciplinary approach to treating patients suffering from heart failure. Our outcomes are excellent, with a 70% lower mortality rate relative to our peers nationally for those admitted with heart failure, according to a national dataset run by the American Heart Association. And most recently, our developing durable VAD program will allow us to offer advanced heart failure therapies in conjunction with a nationally renowned transplant center partner to offer seamless access to cardiac and dual organ transplantation. Q: As we continue to navigate the ongoing and persistent COVID-19 pandemic, what are your takeaways about the importance of maintaining good heart health? A: First of all, set yourself up for success. It turns out, if you avoid tobacco, eat a reasonably balanced diet, and exercise regularly, you do a lot to protect yourself. Genetics and family history play a big role in your heart health, so it's important to control what you can through a healthy lifestyle. And you don't have to do any of it on your own. One of the great things we've taken out of this pandemic is the advancement of telehealth. In fact, Trinity Health Of New England has now made it possible to schedule a visit with your primary care physician on your own with just a click of a button! When you need us, we are here for you. Our comprehensive, collaborative approach to care ensures we are providing the safest, most efficient, and most convenient care tailored to every patient's needs. For more information visit: TrinityHealthOfNE.org/Heart

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