Heart Health
Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital completes $6 million cardiovascular suite
Published: April 1, 2024The goal to expand cardiac care – and save more lives – in Council Bluffs and western Iowa just became a reality with the completion of a $6 million cardiovascular suite project at Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital.
The 5,700-square-foot suite, which opened today, builds on Jennie Edmundson’s already robust cardiovascular care and includes:
- Two new catheterization labs
- A minor procedure room
- Four patient care rooms
- New imaging equipment
- A family waiting area
- A private patient consult room
- Staff offices, a locker room and a break area
“One of our goals is to continue to grow our cardiovascular service line and ensure that families in Council Bluffs and western Iowa can continue to get their health care needs met here at Jennie Edmundson,” said Dave Burd, the hospital’s president and CEO.
With strong relationships in communities across western Iowa, Jennie Edmundson prides itself on offering access to high-level cardiac services close to home, including catheterizations, vascular procedures and interventional radiology. When time matters most, access to such care matters. In 2023, Jennie Edmundson cared for 862 cardiology patients and performed 659 primary catheter procedures. In addition, the team completed 120 vascular procedures in 2023 and treated 546 patients needing interventional radiology.
“We partner with a lot of outreach facilities, and we want to provide the highest level of care for our patients,” said Marcia Keith, service leader for cardiovascular services at Jennie Edmundson. “And we felt that moving into this space would be a time saver, which is very important to cardiac care. Time is muscle when it comes to heart attack patients, and the quicker you can get patients taken care of, the better outcomes they have.”
The updated technology and new catheterization labs and procedure room are significant enhancements for providers specializing in cardiology, allowing Jennie Edmundson to provide more services to even more patients.
“It will expand what we’re able to do, how safely we can do it and how effectively we can do it, and it will produce better experiences and outcomes for our patients,” said Methodist Physicians Clinic cardiologist Joseph Ayoub, MD.
Known for delivering personalized care, Jennie Edmundson’s commitment to patient care goes beyond purchasing new tools and infrastructure.
“You need to invest in the technology, but, more importantly, you need to have a dedicated team that comes to work every day passionate about providing the best quality of care in a very compassionate way,” Burd said. “The combination of having a strong team and opening the cardiovascular suite puts us in a strong position to take the best care of patients in our region for many years to come.”
The $6 million project was made possible through funding and efforts from Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital and Jennie Edmundson Foundation. Funds were generated by the annual Caring Campaign, in which employees made contributions; and the generosity of donors across the area.
"We are grateful to our community for always stepping forward when there is a need," said Tara Slevin, chief philanthropy officer for the hospital and president of the Foundation. “Being able to help raise funds and be a part of this project to put the best technology into the hands of our clinicians is something that I’m very proud of.”
“At the core of this entire project is the people,” Dr. Ayoub said. “The staff, physicians, nurses, X-ray techs and the people around this community are what really drives this forward. The technology is the byproduct of what the people really want from this hospital.”
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