Kaiser opens new Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Program in Fontana

Kaiser Permanente has opened its new Interventional Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Program at the Fontana Medical Center.

The first open heart surgery was successfully completed at the Fontana Medical Center on Oct. 8 and was a coronary artery bypass graft with an aortic valve replacement.

The new Cardiac Surgery Program transitions members who have been receiving heart care at St. Bernardine Medical Center to the Fontana Medical Center.

The program includes Cardiac Catheterization Lab specialty services, which provide coordinated care to detect and treat potential artery blockages that could cause heart attacks or other serious cardiovascular damage. The Cardiac Cath Lab features state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment to visualize and detect a wide range of heart conditions.

We are committed to providing world class care to all of our members, said David Quam, MD, area medical director and chief of staff for the Kaiser Permanente San Bernardino County Area. Our new Cardiac Surgery Program combines leading-edge technology with a very expert and caring team.

We are excited to begin taking care of cardiac patients, said Greg Christian, executive director, Kaiser Foundation Hospitals/Health Plan, San Bernardino County Area. This investment symbolizes our commitment to the heart health of everyone who lives in the Inland Empire.

The cardiac surgery team includes board certified cardiac surgeons, intensivists, cardiac anesthesiologists, specialty trained nurse practitioners, RNs, and technicians.

This team of experts is backed by Kaiser Permanentes HealthConnect system, one of the most robust electronic health record systems in the nation -- which connects them to up-to-date information on a patients history, condition and treatment, according to Kaiser officials.

The new Cardiac Surgery Program enhances the Fontana Medical Centers standing as a world class health care facility, said Annie Russell, chief administrative officer. Our new hospital opened in May 2013, and more recently, our physicians began utilizing the advanced technology of the DaVinci Robotic Surgical System last fall.

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Kaiser opens new Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Program in Fontana