Progressive Health Care Close to Home

For leading-edge technology in health care, you don’t have to go far.

At CHI Saint Joseph Health, our goal is to provide advanced, comprehensive care close to our patients’ homes. Offering the latest innovative equipment and procedures while following best practices allows us to consistently provide high-quality, compassionate care and improved patient outcomes to our communities.

Technology Matters

“The use of technology increases providers’ capabilities while improving or even saving patient lives,” said Sheila Devine Griffeth, RN, market vice president of CHI Saint Joseph Health for cardiovascular, stroke and surgical services, and administrator of CHI Saint Joseph Health – Outpatient Surgery Center. “Improving our patients’ quality of life is one of the main benefits of integrating new innovations into medicine.”

CHI Saint Joseph Health provides more minimally invasive surgeries, better monitoring systems and more comfortable scanning equipment.

“Patient care technology has become increasingly complex, transforming the way care is conceptualized and delivered,” said Kathy Love, market vice president of strategic development at CHI Saint Joseph Health. “These innovations are allowing patients to spend less time in recovery and more time enjoying healthier lives. We’ve progressed from using technology to improve patient care and the health care industry to impacting our society as a whole.”

Helping Hearts

Convergent therapy is one of the most recent cardiac procedures CHI Saint Joseph Health offers to treat atrial fibrillation, a common, potentially fatal heart health concern that can lead to stroke and congestive heart failure if left untreated. The procedure is minimally invasive — the surgeon creates a tiny incision in the patient’s abdomen — and sends radiofrequency energy through an ablation device to create small scar lines inside and outside of the heart tissue. These tiny scars divert abnormal electrical impulses from entering the heart, bringing it back to a normal rhythm.

“Convergent therapy is a great option for patients with long-standing arrhythmia who don’t respond to medicine or standard catheter ablation,” Devine Griffeth said. “Also, it provides a much easier recovery and less post-procedure pain for the patient.”

Expanding Our Reach

To increase surgical capacity, in January, CHI Saint Joseph Health opened a new outpatient surgical center in Lexington. The 20,386-square-foot center has six operating rooms and six procedure rooms, which can help as many as 12,000 patients annually.

Some of the outpatient procedures available at the new center include injections and neurostimulators for chronic pain, cosmetic surgery, laparoscopic abdominal surgery, orthopedic surgeries and pediatric dental surgery.

Why Choose an Outpatient Surgery Center?

Outpatient surgery centers are modern health care facilities focused on providing same-day surgical care, including diagnostic and preventive procedures.

“Outpatient surgery centers offer much greater levels of convenience and accessibility to patients with fully equipped operating and recovery rooms under the care of skilled medical professionals but in a smaller clinical setting,” Devine Griffeth said. “This translates to more efficiency, more predictable schedules and shorter stays for patients.”

Outpatient surgery centers also improve patient flow, reduce wait times and enhance patient-doctor interaction.

“Outpatient surgery centers provide high-quality, patient-centered care and significant cost savings for our patients who enjoy outstanding health outcomes and high satisfaction,” Devine Griffeth said.

To learn more about our available services visit www.CHISaintJosephHealth.org.