MDNews - Greater Kansas

Cover Feature "has potential we don't even know about yet." Jason Woolard, MD, FACS, is a vascular surgeon who participated with other community physicians in the efforts to bring the hybrid operating room to St. Francis. specialties, it will promote collaboration among area physicians, says Dr. Grizzell, who received his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine and completed a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at Barnes-Jewish Medical Center of Washington University in St. Louis. "Spinal and neurology are other areas where this technology could be valuable in the future," he says. Dr. Chehab says this operating suite Benefits of a local Hybrid Operating Room "The technology in this hybrid OR suite allows us to provide procedures and services that patients and their families would otherwise have to travel to places such as Kansas City and Denver to receive," says Dr. Khicha. "It's a great benefit that they don't have to travel such long distances." Because many of the patients who would be treated in a hybrid OR have additional health risks and comorbidities, having a hybrid OR in south-central Kansas can be a tremendous opportunity for those who would have had difficulty traveling to distant locations to receive care. "You also get the best of each specialty coming together to develop treatment plans for the patients," says Dr. Grizzell. "The team of physicians comes up with a single plan for treatment for the patient. This will typically lead to a superior outcome." A TAVR program is a significant benefit to the region, says Dr. Khicha, and this OR gives Wichita the opportunity to stay on the cutting edge of technology. Dr. Malinovic agrees: "As physicians we are always trying to stay on the forefront of medicine, and this is considered the Bassem Chehab, MD, takes part in a mock surgery before the hybrid operating room is open for use. forefront. We are constantly learning how to improve care, and this is one way we can provide better lives for our patients." Opportunities for the Future One of the major benefits afforded by Via Christi adding this technology to its medical facilities at St. Francis is the opportunity to participate in more research-based trials, says Dr. Chehab. "A lot of today's cutting-edge technology requires the use of a hybrid OR," he says. "Patients who want to participate in medical research opportunities will no longer have to travel so far to do so." The hybrid suite could also provide opportunities to participate in clinical trials and for area physicians and patients to be involved with FDA investigative therapies, says Dr. Grizzell. "It also ensures that our patients will have access to complex medical care, even for the next 30–40 years," he says. "It shows that Via Christi has confirmed its commitment to being on the forefront of technology in the future." Additionally, it will help keep excellent physicians in the region. "It's critical not only for TAVR procedures but also because hybrid suites are the standard of care in vascular surgery," says Dr. Woolard. "All training programs in peripheral vascular surgery are using hybrid suites for vascular fellowships. It is vital to our being able to continue to recruit top-notch vascular surgeons." The Best Care for Patients "This is the future, and the fact that we have the opportunity in Wichita to be as up to date as large urban facilities is important for the Wichita region and the state of Kansas," says Dr. Khicha. "If you live in Kansas, come here and we'll take care of you with the newest technology available." "What we are offering people who had limited hope before is a chance for treatment they might not have had," says Dr. Chehab. "We can offer the best care you can get anyplace." ■ 8 | Greater Kansas MD News ■ mDNEWS.COm

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