BURLINGTON — Cone Health officials are eager to show off the health system’s new $34.3 million project to expand treatment so people with heart rhythm conditions and those needing advanced heart scans or other vital cardiovascular treatments and services won’t need to travel outside Alamance County for care.
The Cone Health Heart & Vascular Center at Alamance Regional Medical Center had already begun to see some patients, and Cone Health officials provided member of the media with a tour on Tuesday. It consists of 14,000 square feet of new space and 49,000 square feet of renovated space.
Dr. Muhammad Arida, a cardiologist, said the early reviews have been great.
“I am already starting to see happier patients. They get in and they get out much more efficiently. And the staff is really excited,” he said.
The new heart and vascular center:
• Adds capacity to treat more complex heart and vascular ailments locally.
• Adds ability to put in more pacemakers and defibrillators and other devices.
• Adds Cardiac CT scans so fast it can “see” the flow of blood through the heart, replacing some diagnostic catheterizations.
• Adds two catheterization labs and expands and upgrades two more.
• Quadruples the space for pre- and post-procedure areas, and adds individual rooms
The area is decorated with the works of artists from Alamance County and surrounding areas.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was scheduled for Wednesday night.
Ruth Fisher, the vice president of heart and vascular services, said the new center benefits both staff and patients.
“Staff want to work in a very nice environment. It’s going to be a benefit for us to recruit new staff — nurses, techs and physicians,” Fisher said. “Our patients are going to be very impressed when they walk into the heart center here at Alamance Regional Medical Center. They are going to feel like they are in a world-class heart center, which they are.”
