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Major Improvements Underway for Cardiac Cath Lab at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset

By Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset
(Somerville, N.J.)Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) has launched an improvement project at its Somerville campus, announcing that one of its cardiac catheterization laboratories (cath labs) will undergo major renovations to upgrade the facility with a more efficient layout and design, and equip it with the latest diagnostic tools. The upgrades and renovations will enhance patient quality and care and will increase services dedicated to diagnosing and treating cardiovascular diseases through both non-invasive and invasive cardiac techniques.
“Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital has always been ahead of the curve in health care and committed to providing patients with top notch care while delivering the best clinical outcomes,” said Dr. Jason Hall, M.D., Chief of Cardiology at RWJUH Somerset. “We are consistently upgrading our technology to ensure our doctors are utilizing the best equipment available, and the upgraded cath lab at our Somerville campus will serve as a perfect example of how we are already making a number of improvements, following the merger in June.”
RWJUH Somerset’s new cath lab will offer better patient and operator care, increased speed and quality of imaging, easier transition between labs, improved safety and enhanced efficiency. With two, state-of-the-art cath labs on campus, RWJUH Somerset patient satisfaction is expected to improve, as it will now be able to accommodate more patients.  Patients will have an improved experience and will spend less time waiting due to scheduling restrictions. RWJUH’s New Brunswick campus features eight state-of-the art cath labs to meet patient and community care demands.
The layout of the new cath lab will be identical to the labs at the New Brunswick campus, which utilize the newest innovations and equipment. All are Philips labs, designed to simplify cath lab workflow, which helps to empower the physicians, technicians and nurses to focus on the patients and help them to deliver faster, more accurate diagnosis and treatment. Having the same set up and equipment in all of the labs will allow for easier transition for the physicians using them, and will allow for flexibility of alternating between campuses.
One unique improvement to the cath lab at RWJUH Somerset will be a new Philips Allura Xper FD20 fixed X-ray system, which offers a large field of view, special vascular protocols, and live 3D image guidance for minimally invasive vascular surgery.  The 2k digital imaging chain of the Allura Xper FD20 fixed X-ray system provides crisp, virtually distortion-free visualization of small details and objects. The Philips system results in significantly reduced radiation exposure for patients and physicians, making it safer for all involved in the procedure. The lab’s cardiology information system will also be improved, which serves as a digital archive for data collection and patient records.
“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, so to help combat this deadly disease, physicians need to have access to the most advanced technologies to help increase the health of our patients” said Stephern Allison, PA-C, MSM, MBA, Assistant Vice President of Cardiovascular Services at RWJUH. “We are confident that the new Philips-modeled cath lab will help us to improve diagnosis and treatment of patients who are experiencing cardiac issues, as an inpatient, outpatient or in an emergency situation.”
Upgrades to RWJUH Somerset’s cath lab are projected to be completed and open for physician and patient use in early 2015.
To learn more about RWJUH, please visit www.rwjuh.edu. For a referral to a physician affiliated with RWJUH, please call 1-888-MD-RWJUH. Follow us on Twitter at www.rwjuh.edu/twitter and Facebook at www.rwjuh.edu/facebook.
About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) is a 965-bed academic medical center with campuses in New Brunswick and Somerville, NJ.  Its Centers of Excellence include cardiovascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care, stroke care, neuroscience, joint replacement, and women’s and children’s care including The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (www.bmsch.org).  As the flagship Cancer Hospital of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and the principal teaching hospital of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, RWJUH is an innovative leader in advancing state-of-the-art care. A Level 1 Trauma Center and the only Pediatric Trauma Center in the state, RWJUH’s New Brunswick campus serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness.
RWJUH has been ranked among the best hospitals in America by U.S. News & World Report seven times and has been selected by the publication as a high performing hospital in numerous specialties.  The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital has been ranked among the best hospitals in America by U.S. News & World Report for three consecutive years.
Both the New Brunswick and Somerset campuses have earned significant national recognition for clinical quality and patient safety, including the prestigious Magnet® Award for Nursing Excellence, an “A” patient safety rating from the Leapfrog Group and “Most Wired” designation by Hospitals and Health Networks Magazine. The Joint Commission and the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services have designated the New Brunswick Campus as a Comprehensive Stroke Center and the Somerset Campus as a Primary Stroke Center.
The American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer has rated RWJUH New Brunswick among the nation’s best comprehensive cancer centers and designated the Steeplechase Cancer Center at RWJ Somerset as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Center.  The Joint Surgery Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for total knee and total hip replacement surgery.
For more Information visit us online at www.rwjuh.edu.