Desert Regional Medical Center Invests $4.5 Million to Upgrade Heart Care Suite

Media Advisory: Hospital will host a ribbon-cutting with the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce at 2:30 p.m. April 18 in the hospital lobby, 1150 N. Indian Canyon Dr.

Desert Regional Medical Center will host a ribbon-cutting Thursday to celebrate the completion of a $4.5 million renovation of its cardiac suite -- investing in new technology to provide life-saving treatments for one of our nation’s most common health problems.

“Heart disease remains the No. 1 cause of death for Americans, and it is more critical than ever to provide our doctors with the most advanced technology to quickly treat our patients,” said Michele Finney, CEO of Desert Care Network and Desert Regional Medical Center. “We are proud to bring this upgraded technology to our physicians who specialize in cardiac catheterization -- which has become one of the leading methods to diagnose and treat heart disease.”

Desert Regional Medical Center will use the technology to conduct minimally invasive procedures to treat a wide range of clinical problems including coronary artery disease – a leading cause of heart disorders in the U.S. More than one million cardiac catheterization procedures are performed annually in the United States, primarily to diagnose and treat patients with suspected or confirmed coronary heart disease and other related disorders.

“Cardiac care is a rapidly evolving field, and this new system will benefit both our patients and clinicians,” said Ghassan Kazmouz, MD, section chair of cardiology for Desert Regional Medical Center. “The upgraded cath lab includes a new X-ray system that provides lower dose levels and outstanding image quality. It will provide a better experience and allow us to do an expanded set of procedures using some of the latest technology available.”

The new system, called Azurion by Phillips Healthcare, can aid in the diagnosis and treatment of a range of patient conditions and can be used for procedures such as diagnostic catheterizations, stenting, and balloon angioplasty. Procedures can now be done on both the heart and peripheral blood vessels in the new lab.

“This upgrade is just the first step in the renovation of our cardiology department at Desert Regional,” CEO Michele Finney said. “Our mission is to ensure we can provide the right care at the right place at the right time. This new cath lab is another investment toward fulfilling that mission.”