Premier Cardiac Surgery Center Achieves Accreditation

Brett Stephen • March 28, 2023

Merrionette Park, IL – March 17, 2023 – Premier Cardiac Surgery Center has been accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). Accreditation distinguishes this Cardiac Surgery Center from many other outpatient facilities through its adherence to rigorous standards of care and safety.

Status as an accredited organization means Premier Cardiac Surgery Center has met nationally recognized standards for the provision of quality health care set by AAAHC. More than 6,600 ambulatory health care organizations across the United States are currently accredited by AAAHC.

1095 Strong is a transformational movement and call-to action spearheaded by the AAAHC to equip ambulatory leaders with the best of what they need to operationalize quality practices. The three-year, or 1,095-day, period between accreditations is a critical time when ambulatory health organizations, with help from proven experts, can develop the kind of everyday habits that enable leaders in the industry to provide the utmost in quality care to their patients. Organizations, such as Premier Cardiac Surgery Center, that earn AAAHC Accreditation embody the 1095 Strong, quality every day philosophy, an ongoing commitment to high-quality care and patient safety.

While the onsite survey is an important component of the process, ongoing compliance and continuous improvement are part of the accreditation maintenance mindset that a facility should integrate into its daily activities long after the survey has been completed. The intent of accreditation is for organizations to adopt policies and procedures that fuel ongoing QI and self-evaluation every day.

Ambulatory health care organizations seeking AAAHC Accreditation undergo an extensive self-assessment and onsite survey by AAAHC expert surveyors – physicians, nurses, and administrators who are actively involved in ambulatory care. The survey is peer-based and educational, presenting best practices to help an organization improve its care and services.

Premier Cardiac Surgery Center opened in 2020 and has quickly become the choice for patients throughout the Chicagoland region who are in need of Cardiac care. This re-accreditation confirms that Premier Cardiac Surgery Center is the best option for patients. We specialize in treatments for patients that have Heart Rhythm abnormalities. Premier Cardiac Surgery Center works closely with your Cardiac Electrophysiologist to implement the treatment plan that has been specifically designed for needs.

About Premier Cardiac Surgery Center

Premier Cardiac Surgery Center is committed to serving our patients by providing a superior standard of cardiovascular care. We achieve excellence by utilizing state-of-the-art technology, and we follow the latest medical research, to provide care in a compassionate and cost-effective manner.

The Cardiologists of Heart Care Centers of Illinois are available to help coordinate your care at Premier Cardiac Surgery Center. Please call 1-888-642-4224 to schedule an appointment.

About AAAHC

Founded in 1979, AAAHC is the leader in ambulatory health care accreditation, with more than 6,700 organizations accredited. We accredit a wide range of outpatient settings, including ambulatory surgery centers, office-based surgery facilities, endoscopy centers, student health centers, medical and dental group practices, community health centers, employer-based health clinics, retail clinics, and Indian/Tribal health centers, among others.

AAAHC advocates for the provision of high-quality health care through the development and adoption of nationally recognized standards. We provide a valuable survey experience founded on a peer-based, educational approach to onsite review. The AAAHC Certificate of Accreditation, along with specialized programs including Advanced Orthopaedic Certification and Patient-Centered Medical Home Certification, demonstrates an organization’s commitment to providing safe, high-quality services to its patients—every day of the 1,095-day accreditation cycle. AAAHC Accreditation and Certification Programs are recognized by third-party payors, medical professional associations, liability insurance companies, state and federal agencies, and the public. For more information on AAAHC, please visit www.aaahc.org.

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Dr. Greg Macaluso plays crucial role in helping patients with Heart Failure through use of new technology

By Brett Stephen • March 27, 2023
Credit - NBC5 Chicago - Lauren Petty - First Aired March 23, 2023 It’s been part of Bill Keiss daily routine for nearly a year. “I get up in the morning and I take all my vitals,” Keiss, 71, said. Suffering from congestive heart failure, Keiss is able to monitor his pulmonary artery pressure daily, right in the home office of his Mount Greenwood home by using the Cordella HF Sensor System from Naperville-based Endotronix. “I haven't been in the hospital, you know, since it's since it’s been implanted,” Keiss said. The implant is a small pressure sensor that is surgically placed in a patient’s pulmonary artery. “We can detect very early rises in that pressure, which we usually average over, you know, a three to five day period, and if they continue to rise, we can act on it before patients have symptoms or even before they get sick,” said Dr Greg Macaluso, a heart failure transplant cardiologist with Heart Care Centers of Illinois. While pressure monitoring isn’t new, Dr. Macaluso and his partners at Heart Care Centers of Illinois are working with Endotronix to conduct clinical trials for this new sensor, part of the Cordella HF Sensor System. This is a new, newer device that allows us to have just kind of the newer, better, faster technology,” Macaluso said. With this system, patients can take their readings sitting upright. It also collects other metrics too, including blood pressure, oxygen saturation and weight with a Bluetooth scale. All the results then appear on a small tablet, alerting patients, including Keiss, to any abormal readings or trends. “I know when I don't feel good or my weight goes up, I need to take an extra half a water pill like they told me,” Keiss said. “It gives me total control. There's no question about it.” By the end of this month, cardiologists nationwide will have implanted 450 Cordella sensors. The next step is for Endotronix to submit the data for FDA approval, which a company spokesperson says they hope to have in 12 to 18 months. “Looking at two year outcomes, people are actually living longer with this treatment. So we're really excited about that, that new data,” Macaluso said. “We're really glad that it's a local company, too, that we can help, you know, showcase and help, also, to just make patients better in our community.” Keiss says his pressure readings have improved since he started the daily monitoring. The retired father and grandfather called the technology life-changing. “It’s not like it's cured me. It’s just giving me control. And that's, that's big,” Keiss said. To see a link to the article and video, click HERE .

HCCI Cardiologists Take Part in First TAVR Procedure at Silver Cross Hospital

By Silver Cross Hospital • February 25, 2022
First TAVR Procedure at Silver Cross Culmination of Months of Teamwork
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HCCI Cardiologists Play Vital Role in Saving Woman's Life

By Silver Cross Hospital • February 23, 2022
Missouri Woman Survives the Odds from Near-Fatal Heart AttackThanks to Experienced Care at Silver Cross
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HCCI Physicians Implant New Device to Manage CHF

By Heart Care Centers of Illinois • January 28, 2018
This week Heart Care Centers of Illinois physicians and nurses implanted a new, state of the art device for the management of congestive heart failure. The dime-sized device is actually a small pressure sensor and is part of the Cardiomems heart failure management system. This device is changing the way doctors and nurses manage congestive heart failure. Congestive heart failure is a common condition in which the heart is unable to pump blood effectively to the rest of the body. This leads to fluid accumulation, shortness of breath and frequent admissions to the hospital. The first signs of fluid accumulation occur when the organ most closely attached to the heart, the lungs, shows signs of increased pressure. The Cardiomems device is implanted into one of the small blood vessels in the lung. Once in place the device will continuously monitor pressures and alert physicians electronically to rising pressures. This early rise in pressure is the first detectable sign of fluid accumulation. When alerted, providers can treat patients before fluid overload and congestion becomes so significant that breathing becomes difficult or admission to the hospital is required. This device has been shown to reduce the rate of readmission to the hospital and keep patients feeling well for longer periods of time. If you or your loved one suffers from congestive heart failure please discuss this new therapy with your physician to best determine if this treatment might be acceptable. Heart Care Centers of Illinois physicians are excited and privileged to offer this new therapy to our patients.
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HCCI Physicians Treat AAA Patients with New Graft

By Heart Care Centers of Illinois • January 28, 2018
Heart Care Centers of Illinois Physicians are now able to treat difficult Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) patients with a new Fenestrated Stent Graft. Physicians Dr. Robert Iaffaldano, Dr. James Sur, and Dr. Robert Gasior recently participated in the first Fenestrated Graft procedure at MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island. Heart Care Centers of Illinois Physicians are now able to treat difficult Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) patients with a new Fenestrated Stent Graft. Physicians Dr. Robert Iaffaldano, Dr. James Sur, and Dr. Robert Gasior recently participated in the first Fenestrated Graft procedure at MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island.
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HCCI Physicians Perform New Procedure for Totally Blocked Coronary Arteries

By Heart Care Centers of Illinois • January 28, 2018
May 8, 2014 -- Recently, Dr. George Aziz and Dr. James Sur, Interventional Cardiologists with Heart Care Centers of Illinois, began performing procedures to treat Chronic Total Occlusions (CTO) of the coronary arteries of the Heart. Previously, a CTO, which is a total blockage of a coronary artery, was most commonly treated either with medical therapy alone or by Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting, commonly known as open heart surgery. With the recent advances in the field of interventional cardiology, now arteries which are totally blocked can possibly be treated successfully with a least invasive procedure during a cardiac catheterization. Compared to traditional Open Heart Surgery, this new procedure poses fewer risks and allows for a much shorter recovery period, in most cases. Dr. Aziz is one of only a few cardiologists performing this procedure at Presence St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet and Dr. Sur is the only physician currently performing the same procedure at Palos Community Hospital. Both Dr. Aziz and Dr. Sur agree that this latest breakthrough in medicine is one that will likely transform healthcare for many years to come. If you have been told one of your heart arteries is completely blocked and can't be fixed with a stent or you've been told that your only option is Coronary Artery Bypass Graft, commonly known as Open Heart Surgery, contact our office to see if you might be a good candidate for the CTO Procedure.

Dr. Ramana Participates in Ground Breaking TAVR Procedure

By Heart Care Centers of Illinois • January 28, 2018
September 10, 2012 -- On Wednesday, September 5th, 2012, Dr. Ravi Ramana, Interventional Cardiologist with Heart Care Centers of Illinois, performed the first non-surgical replacement of an aortic valve using the Edward's SAPIEN Transcatheter Heart Valve Replacement technology at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois. Dr. Ramana essentially replaced a patient's aortic valve using a small incision in the leg rather than opening the chest and putting the patient on the heart-lung machine as done in conventional open heart surgery. Patients suffering from Aortic Stenosis, a progressive, age related disease caused by calcium deposits on the aortic valve, and who may not be healthy enough for open heart surgery may now have an alternative with the U.S. FDA-Approved Edward's SAPIEN Transcatheter Aortic Heart Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure. Aortic stenosis (AS) is the narrowing of the aortic valve. As the heart works harder to pump enough blood through the smaller valve opening, the heart weakens which leads to problems such as fainting, chest pain, heart failure, and eventually, death. Over one million people in the U.S. suffer from AS and often these patients have debilitating symptoms that can restrict normal activities such as walking or climbing stairs. These patients benefit from surgery to replace the valve; however, many patients are not treated because they are too high risk or deemed inoperable for surgery. Without an aortic valve replacement, there is no effective treatment and patients eventually succumb to the disease.

Dr. Ron Stella's Healthbeat Segment on ABC7 News

By Heart Care Centers of Illinois • January 28, 2018
August 23, 2012 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- A little-known, dangerous heart condition tends to strike young, fit women. Most people have never heard of it, and many doctors may not even know to look for it. Meghan Scheiber knows firsthand that what doesn't kill you can make you stronger. Just two years ago, she was blown away when at the age of 33 she suffered two heart attacks just days apart. She is now pregnant with her second child. It's a pregnancy considered high risk because Scheiber has a relatively little understood and rare condition called spontaneous coronary artery dissection or SCAD. "We can actually see a tear on the inside of the artery that's what a dissection is," said Dr. Ron Stella. It was during an emergency angiogram days after her first heart attack that suburban heart specialist Dr. Ron Stella actually saw one of the arteries surrounding Scheiber's heart begin to tear. "It was kinda unusual to especially see one spontaneous dissection but to see two in the same patient at the same time," said Dr. Stella. When it happens blood flow to the heart can be blocked causing blood clots, heart attacks and possible death. Patients such as Scheiber may end up having to get stents. It's more likely to strike young healthy women with no warning. Now in the first study of its kind researchers at Mayo Clinic are uncovering clues. "We now suspect that SCAD occurs much more often than doctors realize that is it underdiagnosed and missed frequently," said Dr. Sharonne Hayes. They are also learning victims are relatively young in their early 40s on average. It can also occur in men especially during extreme exercise. In women, it's most common in the three months after having a baby. And there appears to be a link between SCAD and a rare condition called fibromuscular dysplasia. And here's another twist. This research may never have happened if it wasn't for SCAD patients reaching out to others on the Internet and then convincing Dr. Hayes to do the research. Scheiber is doing well and is now working to raise awareness. "It was a major shock that my life was changing, and it's a new reality for me, it's a new life," said Scheiber. SCAD patients and mayo researchers are now working together to continue using social media to recruit others and raise research funds. See the Video from the ABC7 Website: Click Here