VCU news

By Joe Kuttenkuler

WHAT:   An open house with tours of the newly renovated, state-of-the-art Heart Center.

Bringing care to patients rather than patients to care is the theme running throughout the new facility. The extensive renovation created 20 cardiac surgery beds, 28 cardiology beds and 16 intensive care unit (ICU) beds. The Heart Center centrally locates all inpatient cardiac services and brings together core care teams, all on the same floor.

The Heart Center features round-the-clock, centralized telemetry monitoring for all hospital patients requiring electrocardiogram (EKG) monitoring; a three-tied communications system that can automatically notify a nurse via cell phone or text pager if a patient needs attention; smart, portable heart monitors that can remember and seamlessly transfer data from one location to another; a dedicated rehabilitation and exercise center; and a room for minor diagnostic procedures.

The design of the ICU puts nurses and physicians closer than ever before to patients. Three to four patient rooms are clustered in Pods with monitoring workstations right outside the doors.

The ICU opens Dec. 15. Patients moved into the cardiac surgery and cardiology earlier.  

WHEN:            Friday, Dec. 12, 2-4 p.m.

WHERE:         Main Hospital of the VCU Medical Center, 1250 E. Marshall St., 10th Floor