NCH advances cardiovascular service line in northwest suburbs

Northwest Community Healthcare (NCH) is strengthening cardiovascular care for patients in the northwest suburbs by advancing its cardiovascular service line. NCH has new relationships with cardiothoracic surgeons, vascular surgeons and cardiologists, and, in addition, has announced plans to open a new heart failure clinic this fall in Mount Prospect.

"These efforts represent a significant investment in the future of NCH's cardiovascular program," says Alan Loren, MD, Chief Medical Officer at NCH. "NCH patients will benefit from a full range of integrated cardiac services without leaving the northwest suburbs."
Medical research shows that cardiovascular models of physician leadership and clinical collaboration help improve outcomes and reduces average lengths of stay in the hospital.

NCH Affiliates With Loyola Vascular Surgeons; Adds Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon

In August, NCH began an affiliation with Loyola University Medical Center vascular surgeons who will serve on the NCH Medical Staff and will provide full-time onsite vascular consultations, surgical, endovascular and interventional procedures, outpatient clinic and office visits, and on-call coverage. "Loyola is pleased to be working closely with Northwest Community Healthcare in order to make our nationally ranked cardiovascular care convenient to residents throughout the region," said Daniel J. Post, Senior Vice President, Clinical Programs, and Chief Business Development Officer at Loyola.

Vascular surgeons Jae Sung Cho, MD, FACS, and Paul Crisostomo, MD, joined the NCH staff in mid-August. Dr. Cho is a nationally known authority in minimally invasive approaches to vascular disease, especially of the thoracic and abdominal aorta. Prior to serving as chief of vascular surgery and endovascular therapy at Loyola University Medical Center, he was chief of vascular surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Mercy, and a professor of surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. Cho earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of California at Irvine. He completed a residency in general surgery and a research fellowship in vascular surgery at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York. He is a professor in the Department of Surgery at Loyola University Chicago's Stritch School of Medicine.

Dr. Crisostomo, a vascular and endovascular surgeon whose areas of clinical focus include carotid disease, venous insufficiency and aortic aneurysms, received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he received bachelor's degrees in biology, biochemistry and Spanish. He received his medical degree from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and completed a residency in general surgery and a fellowship in vascular surgery at Indiana University School of Medicine. At Loyola University Chicago's Stritch School of Medicine, he is an assistant professor in the Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery.

NCH also added cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon Vu Hoang, MD, to its medical staff. Dr. Hoang specializes in minimally invasive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery. Dr. Hoang received his bachelor's and medical degrees through the University of Florida Honors Program. Additionally, he completed his general surgery residency at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore and thoracic surgery residency at State University of New York at Buffalo.

Dr. Hoang recently joined Cardiac Surgery Associates S. C. and began treating patients at NCH in late August. In January, NCH and Cardiac Surgery Associates announced a new affiliation to provide cardiovascular and thoracic surgery and named David DeBoer, MD, as chief of cardiovascular surgery at NCH. The new affiliation will more closely integrate hospital- and office-based care, improving patient experience and outcomes across the continuum of care.

NCH Heart & Vascular Specialists Meets Needs of Cardiology Patients

To more closely integrate hospital-based care with services in the community, NCH has established outpatient services in collaboration with two local cardiology practices. Patients can receive cardiology services at the following locations: 880 W. Central Road, Ste. 7100, and 1632 W. Central Road, Arlington Heights, just minutes from the NCH campus. Physician services will be provided by a newly formed physician group, NCH Heart & Vascular Specialists, LLC.

The cardiac diagnostic testing previously performed in these offices, such as stress testing, echocardiograms, and vascular ultrasounds will be consolidated and offered at the new outpatient facility, NCH Cardiac Diagnostics, 1632 W. Central Road. In addition, the physicians will be working with NCH to manage the cardiac service line and continually advance and improve the quality of patient care.

"The goal of this acquisition and affiliation is to advance the mission of NCH by more closely integrating hospital-based testing and services with the great office-based care these physicians have provided to our community for many years," says NCH Chief Operating Officer Michael Hartke.

NCH's Atherton Heart Failure Clinic to Help Patients After Discharge

NCH is opening a new outpatient clinic in October designed specifically for heart failure patients. The Atherton Heart Failure Clinic will be located inside the NCH Health Center at 199 W. Rand Road, Mount Prospect. The heart failure clinic is an innovative care delivery model that will create a consistent transition for each heart failure patient from the hospital to their homes.

Supervised by a cardiologist and led by an advanced practice nurse, a team of healthcare professionals—including physician assistants, nurse educators, nutritionists, social workers and pharmacists—will see heart failure patients at the clinic within 72 hours of their discharge from NCH. The team will provide medical care and one-on-one support, communicating directly with the patient's primary care physician or cardiologist to provide an individualized plan of care.

"The location offers easy access and is ideal for patients who may have difficulty or be too weak to navigate the hospital campus," says Dr. Paul Ruzumna, chief of cardiology at NCH.