UnityPoint Health–St. Luke’s Hospital is investing $25 million in expanding its heart and vascular services within the Nassif Heart Center, hospital officials announced Monday, June 6.
The multi-million-dollar expansion will consolidate and enhance St. Luke’s heart and vascular capabilities into one comprehensive center. The investment and expansion will focus on several areas:
- A second electrophysiology (EP) lab will be added to the Nassif Heart Center. EP procedures correct issues with the heart’s rhythm.
- Relocating and expanding St. Luke’s Vascular and Interventional Radiology Labs. Vascular procedures are used to treat problems affecting blood vessels, such as an aneurysm or other procedures to restore blood flow in blocked arteries or veins. The expansion will include dedicated space for pre- and post-op needs.
- Building a dedicated cardiovascular hybrid operating room (OR), which will allow for more complex, advanced cardiovascular procedures. The new hybrid OR will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology.
“St. Luke’s Heart Care is a long-time leader and innovator in offering complex, specialized cardiovascular care in Eastern Iowa,” said Dr. Richard Kettelkamp, St. Luke’s Heart Care interventional cardiologist and medical director of cardiovascular services. “Our heart team is proud of this reputation, takes pride in this distinction and considers it our responsibility to continue to offer the area’s most advanced cardiac care.”
“Our expansion announcement signifies our commitment to our patients and community in continuing to offer complex, specialized cardiovascular care,” said Michelle Niermann, UnityPoint Health–St. Luke’s Hospital president and CEO.
The expansion will take place within the Nassif Heart Center at St. Luke’s Hospital, which originally opened in 2000. Construction is expected to begin this summer.
