April 5, 2001
Krannert Institute to move to Methodist campus in Adult Cardiovascular Consolidation
Clarian Health, IU, Riley and Methodist - and the IU School of Medicine are recognized trailblazers in cardiovascular patient care, research and treatment. Their outstanding programs are now about to come together to create the new Clarian Cardiovascular Center.
On June 18, 2001, all adult cardiovascular services and research facilities, including the world-renowned Krannert Institute of Cardiology, will consolidate at a newly renovated facility on the Methodist campus.
"We talked about it at length and the Methodist campus clearly had the space, with remodeling, to absorb us. We did not have the space on the IU campus to absorb the Methodist groups," says Douglas Zipes, MD, distinguished professor and director of the Krannert Institute of Cardiology, who currently serves as president-elect of the American College of Cardiology. "The expense would have been far greater had we consolidated cardiovascular services on the IU campus," he says.
The Clarian CV Center includes pediatric programs, but those services will continue to be provided at Riley Hospital for Children. In addition, a cardiovascular presence for consultative and outpatient care will be maintained at IU Hospital, including a catheter lab for emergency care.
Exceptional Programs
As one of the largest heart centers in the Midwest, the Clarian Cardiovascular Center will provide patients with a combination of the clinical expertise and practice of the Methodist Heart Institute along with the cardiovascular patient care, research and teaching excellence of the Krannert Institute of Cardiology, the Indiana University School of Medicine, IU Hospital and Riley Hospital for Children. The history of each institution is impressive.
Just a few of their highlights include:
- Krannert Institute of Cardiology is known throughout the world as the leader in heart research and pioneering techniques in echocardiology and electrophysiology.
- Indiana University is a nationwide leader in minimally invasive cardiac surgery and state-of-the-art heart valve surgery.
- The Methodist Heart Institute was the site of the first heart transplant in Indiana and the world's first at a private institution.
- Riley Hospital for Children was one of the first centers in the country to perform heart transplantation in a newborn infant and is among the top five pediatric hospitals in the country for the number of cardiovascular diagnostic and surgical procedures performed annually.
The Clarian Cardiovascular Center will be the only heart center in the region with complete cardiothoracic services, including diagnostic testing, interventional treatment and cardiac for infants and adults. More than 70 percent of the heart transplants in Indiana are performed at Clarian.
"Our consolidated cardiovascular program provides one-stop shopping for patients with a multitude of different cardiovascular problems, says Dr. Zipes. "For example, persons with both cardiac and peripheral vascular or surgical problems can have all those conditions attended to in either the same building or in one close by, within walking distance."
The combined, whole program is even better than its already-outstanding individual parts. "The combination of research, teaching and clinical skills together in one location greatly benefits our patients," says William Storer, MD, co-medical director of the cardiovascular program. "By consolidating into one program at one location, there is more money available to put into the programs, such as a new heart failure program."
"By combining all of the CV resources at one center, Clarian can invest heavily at one site and make certain it is the premier site for all adult cardiovascular services. That means premier bricks and mortar - clinical, administration, and research space, without having to build two separate sites at that level - which would be virtually impossible," says Dr. Zipes.
Patients are the ultimate beneficiaries of all the improvements.
"Our patients are at the center of this design process," notes Ann Hendrich, senior vice president of nursing and patient care services for Methodist Hospital and the Clarian Cardiovascular Center. "Nursing has partnered with the physicians and ancillary areas to create a truly superior cardiovascular program for the Indianapolis community and the state of Indiana."
Unique Combination
Drs. Zipes and Storer both hope to see increased funding for research studies at the consolidated center. "By combining forces, we become much more formidable in the competition to participate in multi-center trials," says Dr. Zipes. "When we pool our numbers of patients with pacemakers, coronary stents, etc., we then become a very impressive partner for any industry that wants to participate in clinical studies," he explains.
The unique combination of research, education, and the clinical leadership of Methodist, IU, and Riley hospitals and the IU School of Medicine make it possible to more quickly implement new strategies for preventing and treating cardiovascular disease. New procedures will move from lab bench to bedside more quickly and more efficiently than at any other major Indiana hospital.
And that, says Dr. Storer, distinguishes Clarian's heart program from both Community's and St. Vincent's heart hospitals.
"We are creating a heart hospital on the Methodist campus that combines all of the available clinical skills, research and education, to form a facility without equal in Indiana," says Dr. Storer. "We offer the combination of research and education along with our clinical skills. Cutting edge cardiology and cardiovascular surgery will be a given at our center," he points out.
Cardiologists' offices will also be located at the center. In addition, the facility includes more catheter lab capability, more operating room suites, and more cardiovascular patient beds with the opening of a nursing floor and a cardiac interventional unit located in the old Methodis Hospital Cardiac Care Unit.
"We will also convert a large majority of beds to private rooms to meet patient expectations," says Barb Peters, administrative director of the cardiovascular program. "Fifty percent of the beds in the renovated facility will be private."
Even so, Clarian is a multi-building campus and it will be necessary for caregivers and others to move between Methodist, IU and Riley.
"Fundamental to all of this is the People Mover," says Dr. Zipes. "It will enhance our strengths and our cohesiveness by facilitating transportation of house staff, fellows and the senior staff. They can hop on this train and be transported from one campus to other. That is essential as we have grand rounds and division meetings and other education processes. When it's 30 degrees outside and snowing, it's a lot of trouble to get in your car and drive between campuses. But with the People Mover, they can just ride over in five minutes," says Dr. Zipes.
Media Contact: Pamela Perry
317-274-7722
pperry@iupui.edu
or
Media Contact: Mary Hardin
317-274-7722
mhardin@iupui.edu
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