Beaumont Hospital Opens New Ernst Cardiovascular Center

ROYAL OAK, Mich., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Beaumont Hospitals' world renowned heart center has expanded and enhanced its services with the Oct. 18 opening of the new Ernst Cardiovascular Center at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak.

Specialty clinics in the new Ernst Cardiovascular Center offer breakthrough surgeries and treatments for people with high-risk heart and vascular conditions. The center is also the new home for Beaumont's innovative "7 tests for $70" heart and vascular screening and the "Healthy Heart Check" student heart screening program.

The center offers expedited, multidisciplinary care. A team of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, vascular surgeons, anesthesiologists and other experts evaluates a patient's condition and recommends the best medical or surgical treatment option.

Appointments at the center can be scheduled by calling 248-898-3839, or toll-free at 888-683-7678.

"Thanks to the generosity of Max and Debra Ernst and their family, we have been able to create a beautiful center that brings together all the heart and vascular experts from Beaumont with the latest technology and research to deliver the best possible patient care and outcomes," says Marc Sakwa, M.D., chief of Cardiovascular Surgery at Beaumont, Royal Oak. "This is a dream come true. We are very grateful to the Ernst family for their tremendous gift, which will benefit our patients and community for many years to come."

Max and Debra Ernst of Orchard Lake and their family donated $3 million to establish the center in memory of Ellen Ernst, Max Ernst's late first wife.

The 4,537 square-foot Ernst Cardiovascular Center will offer multidisciplinary clinics for heart valve disease, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, adult and student cardiovascular screening and a future complex aortic clinic (opening in 2011).  

Conveniently located on the first floor of Beaumont, Royal Oak, the center includes six examination rooms, three consultation rooms with videoconferencing capabilities for long-distance consultations, and two ultrasound rooms. The center features the latest in cardiovascular imaging options, including 3-D cardiovascular ultrasound equipment.

"Our goal is to expand Beaumont's cardiovascular innovations to patients regionally and nationally with expedited, personalized and convenient care," says Dr. Sakwa. "We specialize in high-risk, complex cases and will serve as a referral center for physicians seeking advanced or minimally invasive treatment options for their patients."

The center will also offer low-cost preventive screening for people at risk for heart or vascular disease. This includes Beaumont's Heart and Vascular Screening offering seven tests for $70.

In addition, Beaumont's "Healthy Heart Check" student heart screening will be available at the center for $25 by appointment. This in-depth heart screening for high school students, especially athletes, includes a medical history, blood pressure check and an electrocardiogram, plus an echocardiogram, if needed. It  looks for evidence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a serious condition that can cause sudden cardiac death in young athletes. Beaumont will continue to offer free community-based student heart screenings twice a year.

Beaumont is Michigan's, and one of the nation's, most experienced providers of heart care. The Beaumont Heart Center is a comprehensive, state-of-the-art facility that's dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart problems. Beaumont's Ministrelli Women's Heart Center is the first in Michigan devoted exclusively to the prevention, diagnosis, and research of heart disease in women.

SOURCE Beaumont Hospitals