The Chi Heart & Surgery Center
at Ingham Regional Medical Center
401 W. Greenlawn
Lansing, MI 48910
(517) 975-6000 

STRONG AT HEART!  

Five things to look for in a Cardiac Center of Excellence:

1. Experience.   Physicians and clinical staff performing hundreds of heart procedures of all types, with a track record for excellence.

   Ingham Regional Medical Center began as a chest hospital, and quickly transformed in the 1960s, to the heart hospital in mid-Michigan, where the first open heart bypass surgery was performed. The surgeon, Dr. Seong M. Chi, and his patient are still living active, healthy lives. Now, the Chi Heart & Surgery Center continues that legacy of healing.
   
    Four decades later, the Center has performed thousands of heart bypass surgeries, and interventional heart procedures (cardiac catheterizations, angioplasties and stent placements), and electrophysiology procedures (insertion of pacemakers and defibrillators).

2. Recognition.  External rating organizations endorse Ingham's evidence-based cardiac practices and excellent patient outcomes.

   Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan recognizes Ingham's cardiac program as the only mid-Michigan Cardiac Center of Excellence for 14 consecutive years (1996-2009). 

3. Above-and-beyond patient care.  Post-patient surveys award outstanding marks for physician/clinical staff communication and coordination of care with patients and families.  

   Ingham received its third Premier Award for Quality in the clinical care of acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) (2006, 2005, 2004).

4. Decentralized areas for special patient needs.
   1. Ingham Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons.  This cardiac surgical team is specially trained to perform intricate, complex surgeries to remove blockages in the aorta, vascular system, and lower extremities. Team members, with between 10 and 30 years' experience, are focused on correcting blood flow to the brain, the stomach and intestines, kidneys, legs and feet.
   2. On-site Cardiac Rehabilitation.   Surgeons and cardiologists refer patients for Phase 2 cardiac therapy. Patient sreceive education on diet, weight loss, smoking cessation, and an exercise regimen tailored to their individual needs.
   3. Stroke Center.  Ischemic stroke patients brought to the Emergency Department within a three-hour time window may be eligible for administration of thrombolytic drugs to neutralize the clot, and receive care by specially trained stoke nurses. Ninety-five percent of all stroke patients admitted receive appropriate therapies and are discharged for home care.
   4. Heart Failure/Infusion Center.  Heart failure patients receive comprehensive instruction, under physician supervision, on diet, medications, substantial or complete elimination of salt, monitored fluid intake, and exercise.
   5. Outreach to hospital sites.  Owosso Memorial Hospital, with guidance from Thoracic Cardiovascular Institute/Ingham, has developed a coronary intervention program for cardiac catheterizations. If a stent placement is indicated, the patient is transferred to Ingham. Cardiac clinics have been established at Hayes Green Beach (Charlotte) and Eaton Rapids Medical Center.

   6. Preventative Approach To Cardiac Health (P.A.T.C.H. Goes to School Program): Underwritten by the Ingham Regional Healthcare Foundation, trained cardiac professionals teach healthy heart care to students in third through fifth grades at schools in Ingham, Clinton, and Eaton counties. For information, call 975-3802.

5. Investment.  Heart disease is a leading health concern. Our weekly statistics:

25 patients come to Ingham’s Emergency Department for cardiac issues;
100 patients are admitted to the hospital for heart disease;
300 outpatients and inpatients on campus for cardiac testing and rehabilitation.

For that reason, Ingham opened its Chi Heart and Surgery Center in Summer, 2007. This five-story addition on the main campus adds 158,000 square feet, increasing the hospital’s size by 24%. Each cardiac patient continues to receive the highest level of care and technology. Expect a seamless flow of services, with all heart and surgical services in one centralized Center. Among the Center’s features:

Total replacement of the surgery department, including 10 operating rooms, and five cardiac catheterization rooms.
Consolidated radiology services on the first floor and on-site pharmacy;
10 state-of-the-art operating rooms on the second floor;
17-bed telemetry units on the third floor;
30 private beds on the fourth floor Cardiac Unit;
Dedicated outpatient floor with new imaging and non-invasive technology;
An increase in private rooms from 95-145;
A welcoming atmosphere that implies healing and restoration.

The ‘Baby Boomer’ population is aging. For those who thrived on stress, consumed on-the-run high fat diets, slowed down or stopped being aerobically active, a heart event could be waiting to happen. Where will you come for heart care? The Chi Heart and Surgery Center is here to heal you, and explain how to move on with your life’s journey – STRONG AT HEART!

More women die of heart disease than all other forms of cancer combined. The average adult heart beats 70 times per minute, or 6,048,000 times during one day. The heart is a pump, sending oxygen-rich blood and nutrients to all parts of the body. The heart has 4 chambers: right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, left ventricle. The sinus node is the heart's natural pacemaker, sending an electrical signal to the heart. Angina: Chest pain caused when the heart does receive enough oxygen. If a blood vessel bursts, and blood seeps into the brain, it is a hemorrhagic stroke. If a blood clot or clogged artery cuts off blood supply to the aortic artery, it's an ischemic stroke. Atrial Fibrillation: Heartbeats in the atrium are rapid and out of rhythm. Pulse is irregular. Seek medical help. Building the Chi Heart Center: - 215,000 exterior bricks - 250 tons of structural steel - 6,300 cubic yards of concrete - 476 tons of reinforced steel For 11 consecutive years, Blue Cross Blue Shield has recognized Ingham as mid-Michigan's only Cardiac Center of Excellence. Seong M. Chi, M.D. was a key member of the heart team that performed the first open heart bypass surgery in mid-Michigan. The Chi heart and Surgery Center is named in his honor. Walking is the best aerobic exercise for the heart. Other good aerobic exercises: swimming and bicycling, cross-country skiing. Don't shrug off symptoms of heart disease. Pressure or pain in the center of your chest, shortness of breath, sweating, lightheadedness, pain in the upper abdomen, call 911. Better to check things out, rather than experience a heart attack. Feel sudden numbness, or weakness in face, arm or leg? Can't speak? Have blurred vision? Dizzy? Feel like you're losing your balance, sudden severe headache with no real cause? Call 911. With stroke, time=brain. The Great Lakes Heart, Lung and Vascular Institute specializes in cardiothoracic and endovascular care. Blood flows head to toe. Any artery in the body can be blocked. An aspirin a day can provide some protection against heart attack and stroke. Tell your family doctor if you have a family history of heart disease. It's a major risk factor that cannot be changed.

Today's News

The Heart: Your Private Dynamo.  Originally published in TCI Heart and Vascular Update Issue 2. Reprint permission granted by QuestCorp Media Group, Inc. www.qcmedia.com and Thoracic and Cardiovascular Institute www.tciheart.com.