MDNews - Greater Boston

arrhythmia to peripheral vascular disease and stroke. "We deal with three primary areas: aortic aneurysms, peripheral artery disease and carotid artery blockages," says Nikhil Kansal, M.D., Director of Vascular Surgery Services at Steward. "A fourth area — treating veins and conditions, such as varicose veins or chronic venous insufficiency of the legs — isn't as large." The treatment modalities for vascular surgery have changed a great deal during the past 15 years. There has been a paradigm shift away from open surgical repair, with large-scale operations that result in a great deal of pain and long recovery time for the patients. In its place are minimally invasive endovascular surgical procedures. Steward Health Care and Quincy Medical Center have worked together to ensure the hospital's vascular and endovascular surgery services are as strong as possible. The idea has been to create a unified treatment pathway for patients under the Steward Vascular umbrella. The Steward Vascular identity began at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, which is the hub of the service. It has now branched out to Quincy as its first suburban outpost. Giovanni Ferrante, M.d., prepares to perform a vascular procedure. To support this transition, Quincy Medical Center has updated its CAT scan and other radiologic equipment, as well as its OR X-ray technology. The center also has a state-of-the-art catheterization lab, which is now available to vascular surgeons. In addition, the hospital has recently brought in two large C-arm surgery systems. "The hospital has been investing in the necessary equipment and training for staff," says vascular surgeon Giovanni Ferrante, M.D. "We have a great vascular lab with great technicians, as well as a great radiology department that works with the vascular team to diagnose and treat problems." "The major investment has been in the mobile C-arm systems," adds Dr. Kansal. "They allow us to do more minimally invasive procedures, as well as hybrid operations using both traditional open and minimally invasive techniques." As part of the Steward system, Quincy Medical Center can work within the system to ensure patients receive the treatment they need, no matter the level of complexity. Steward has also enabled Quincy Medical Center to add to its vascular team and tap into other pieces of the system when necessary. "We have a lot of sophisticated equipment and expertise at Quincy, and we have tried to create systems of integrated care so the patient gets the right level of care at the right place, no matter where the initial point of contact with the system takes place," Dr. Ferrante says. local Focus All of this is in line with Steward's mission to provide high-quality care in the local community. Dr. Cadet estimates nearly 80% of surgeries performed at large, downtown institutions do not necessarily need to be done there. "They can often be done better and in a simpler fashion at a local hospital — one that is more affordable and accessible," he explains. "What we can offer to our patients is a place in our network where they can receive all levels of care they may need." Dr. Cadet and his colleagues believe the future of Quincy Medical Center is brighter than it has ever been. Along with Steward Health Care, the hospital has developed a plan and vision that is being implemented so it can continue serving the residents of Quincy and its surrounding communities by providing cost-effective, safe, local and high-quality care. "Through collaboration and cooperation, we have been able to get people out of silos so we can function on a multidisciplinary level and tap into all of our resources," he says. "This allows us to provide the best care possible." For more information about surgical services at Quincy Medical Center, please visit www.steward.org/Quincy or call (617) 773-6100. ■ MdneWS.coM ■ MD News Greater Boston |7

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