The Ambulatory Cardiac Unit (ACU) is comprised of 18 beds. Also known as “same day cardiac care” or “cardiac same day,” the ACU is the observation and short stay unit. ACU sees approximately 500 patients per month and boasts an average length of stay of less than 20 hours.

ACU setup includes:

• 10 private ambulatory non-monitored patient rooms.
• 8 private ambulatory telemetry-monitored patient rooms.

The ACU provides care to the adult cardiac and vascular outpatient ambulatory population and the adult cardiac and vascular patients who require a short stay post-procedure. Staffing consists of registered nurses and a non-licensed patient care technician. 

Nurses on this unit will work closely with cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, vascular surgeons and/or physicians privileged to perform procedures in the invasive heart lab, interventional radiology, cardiovascular surgery (CVOR) and hybrid OR who admit patients to the Ambulatory Cardiac Unit.

Typical observation population includes:

• Post-procedure percutaneous coronary intervention.
• Cardiac ablation.
• Pacemaker/ICD implantation.
• Minor vascular procedures.

The Ambulatory Cardiac Unit utilizes a team approach in the delivery of nursing care. Nursing care is guided by the American Nurses Association (ANA) Standards. Key values include collaboration, flexibility, teamwork and a family-centered approach. Colleagues have the opportunity to contribute through a shared decision-making committee structure. 

Cardiopulmonary Rehab is comprised of a team of RNs, exercise physiologists and exercise leaders who provide comprehensive exercise rehabilitation and risk factor modification education to patients with cardiac, pulmonary and vascular diseases. In addition, they offer a community-oriented Adult Wellness program designed to help patients embrace lifelong exercise.

Cardiopulmonary Rehab is designed to help patients regain their strength after acute cardiac illness, teach the components of heart healthy living and assist them in starting a safe and appropriate exercise routine for the rest of their lives. The Pulmonary and Vascular Rehabilitation programs are structured to assist patients with chronic conditions to manage their disease and support an improved quality of life through specialized education and physical training. All programs have medical supervision and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certified Staff.

Cardiac Rehab also partners with Population Health to provide the Give it Up! tobacco cessation program. This free program consists of in-person and virtual education, as well as support, and provides a drive-thru resource for tobacco cessation tools like patches.

The Cardiovascular Surgical Intensive Care Unit (CVSICU) consists of 14 ICU beds, in addition to 16 step-down beds.

CVSICU setup includes:

• Hardwire monitoring bedside screens which include rhythm, hemodynamic pressure, invasive and noninvasive blood pressure and pulse oximetry monitoring (all rooms) with separate monitoring capabilities for Cardiac Output monitoring.
• Eight enclosed rooms which can be used for isolation and are also equipped for acute hemodialysis.
• One room which can be adjusted for negative air pressure to be used as airborne infectious isolation, and four other rooms for positive air pressure to be used as an operating room.

The CVSICU is designed to care for the adult surgical cardiothoracic, vascular and structural heart patient populations. The unit also provides post-anesthesia recovery care for thoracic and vascular patients.

CVSICU provides care for:

• Patients on the intra-aortic balloon pump (IAPB).
• Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).
• Circulatory assist devices.
• Cardio-pulmonary assist devices (CPS).
• Open chests.

Common candidates for admission to this unit include open-heart surgery patients directly from the operating room, unstable preoperative patients awaiting open-heart surgery, patients with dissecting thoracic and abdominal aneurysms, patients undergoing thoracic surgery, vascular surgery and patients undergoing structural heart disease procedures.

The cardiovascular operating room (CVOR) consists of four (4) high tech operating rooms and one (1) hybrid operating room (HBOR).

HBOR
As the most technologically advanced room in the organization, the HBOR is a sterile operating room with additional advanced imaging technology. The HBOR is primarily used by our vascular surgeons and interventional cardiologists for open surgical procedures (cardiac and vascular), as well as percutaneous/minimally invasive “needlestick” procedures. 

Patients experiencing severe aortic stenosis may be candidates for a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), a procedure that enables us to replace the aortic valve without opening the chest. Our vascular surgeons can also use the HBOR to provide a variety of minimally invasive procedures such as endovascular aneurysm repairs (EVAR) along with serving patients with peripheral obstructive diseases.

CVOR

We perform open cardiac, thoracic and vascular surgeries within the CVOR. We operate on patients with heart valve disease, multi-vessel coronary disease, lung cancer and patients needing direct vessel repair. Procedures include:

• Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.
• Heart valve repairs or replacements.
• Maze procedures.
• Video-assisted and robotic lung surgery.
• Carotid endarterectomies.
• Fistula creations.

The Coronary Care Unit (CCU) consists of 56 private beds organized into five pods. Each pod has its own pod station, medication room, food service area, equipment room, clean utility room and soiled utility room. Each patient room is equipped to provide individualized care for patients during their hospitalization.

The CCU setup includes:

• Both telemetry and hardwire monitoring bedside screens which include rhythm, ischemia, pressure, noninvasive blood pressure and pulse oximetry monitoring (all rooms).
• Workstation between every two patient rooms.
• Eight rooms equipped for acute hemodialysis.
• One room can be adjusted for negative air pressure to be used as an airborne infectious isolation room.

CCU provides care for:

• Patients receiving IABP therapy, TTM, and CRRT therapy.
• Patients with an Impella device or previously implanted LVAD.
• Mechanically ventilated patients.
• Patients with hemodynamic monitoring, arterial lines/sheaths and IV medications.

Staff assignments may change according to the level of care needed, and patients can be transferred to the ICU pod when more intensive treatment is required. Patients may be moved to another unit based on specialty needs.

The invasive cardiac catheterization lab consists of six total rooms. Electrophysiologists use two of these rooms to diagnose and treat cardiac patients with diseases involving the electrical system of the heart. Interventional cardiologists perform minimally invasive tests and procedures to diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease. All rooms are equipped with imaging technology, and two have the advanced imaging systems needed for structural heart procedures.

Electrophysiology procedures consist of:

• Cardiac ablations (both cryo and radiofrequency).
• Single, dual and bi-ventricular lead pacemakers and defibrillators. 
• Left atrial appendage closures for eligible patients with atrial fibrillation.

Cath lab procedures include:

• 24/7 emergency cardiac care for patients actively having a heart attack. 
• Cardiac catheterization.
• Balloon angioplasty.
• Stent placement.
• Right heart caths.
• Metabolic stress tests.
• Implantation of cardiomems device.
• Myocardial biopsies.
• Mitral valve clips.
• Rotational atherectomy. 
• Transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Patients are evaluated and treated for:

• Arrhythmias such atrial fibrillation or tachycardia.
• Congestive heart failure (CHF).
• Pulmonary hypertension.
• Coronary artery disease.
• Aortic stenosis.

The noninvasive heart lab (NIHL) is an inpatient/outpatient diagnostic procedural area that performs many different types of testing. ADHVH’s NIHL echo and vascular programs are accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC), a nationally recognized, CMS-approved nonprofit organization which recognizes quality.

Our diagnostic capabilities include a complete spectrum of noninvasive cardiovascular diagnostic testing. Along with our highly skilled technologists and nurses, having the latest technology to detect heart disease allows our cardiologists to discover the potential problems in their earliest stages. It also helps them to manage patients with suspected or known heart and/or vascular conditions with testing that does not cause discomfort and is not complicated.

The NIHL offers a wide variety of diagnostic procedures including:

• Vascular ultrasound.
• Stress echocardiograms.
• Stress testing.
• Tilt table tests.
• Metabolic stress testing.
• EKGs and event monitor application.
• Transthoracic echocardiograms (TTE) & transesophageal echocardiograms (TEE), which make up about 90% of the over 15,000 echoes performed annually.

Aultman Deuble Heart and Vascular Hospital Cardiovascular Consultants is the largest and most comprehensive cardiovascular group in the seven-county region. With more than 20 board-certified physicians and 10 advanced practice providers, ADHVH Cardiovascular Consultants brings top-notch cardiovascular care to 16 locations and provides telehealth services via the AultmanNow app. 

In addition to providing consultations, ADHVH Cardiovascular Consultants providers treat medical aspects of heart disease and heart rhythm issues. ADHVH Cardiovascular Consultants also performs diagnostic cardiac tests and procedures. As a full-service cardiology group, ADHVH Cardiovascular Consultants specializes in:

• Electrophysiology (EP).
• Interventional cardiology.
• Nuclear cardiology.
• Cardiac surgery clearance.
• Clinical cardiology.
• Assessments for structural heart disease.
• Specialized care for congestive heart failure patients.

To learn more about ADHVH – Cardiovascular Consultants, click here.

Aultman Deuble Heart & Vascular Hospital - Cardiothoracic Surgery is Northeast Ohio's premier Cardiothoracic Surgery practice.

Our office is located on the second floor of the Bedford Building within Aultman Hospital. ADHVH - Cardiothoracic Surgery is dedicated to advancing cardiac and thoracic services in a setting that provides quality service to patients, the community and the organization.

ADHVH - Cardiothoracic Surgery has three board certified surgeons, each with more than 25 years of experience, who specialize in:

• Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.
• Heart valve surgery.
• Maze procedure.
• Convergent Maze procedure.
• Conventional and video-assisted thoracic surgery.
• Ascending thoracic aneurysm repair.

ADHVH - Cardiothoracic Surgery is also involved with the Structural Heart team to include transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and transcatheter mitral valve repair (mitral clip). Completing the ADHVH – Cardiothoracic Surgery medical team is an advanced nurse practitioner, three registered nurses, a medical assistant and 2 support staff members.

To learn more about ADHVH – Cardiothoracic Surgery, click here.