ProHealth Care joins with Indiana University Health to create premier cardiothoracic surgery program

WAUKESHA, Wis., Feb. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- ProHealth Care and Indiana University Health, one of the country's leading academic medical centers, announced today that they will work together to bring a world class cardiothoracic surgery program to ProHealth patients.

"The people of Indiana University Health have established one of the best heart surgery programs anywhere, and we are delighted to be working with them to make that same high level of care available to our patients right here in Waukesha County," said Susan Edwards, chief executive officer of ProHealth Care.

Indiana University Health has one of the country's largest cardiothoracic surgery programs, performing more than 1,900 surgeries each year. The Indiana surgical team cares for patients facing the most critical medical conditions and the most complicated heart, lung and vascular procedures.

"We are enthusiastic about our new partnership with ProHealth Care," said Arthur Coffey, MD, medical director of cardiovascular surgery at IU Health. "By combining our knowledge and expertise with ProHealth's many strengths, we will be able to achieve great things for patients in Wisconsin."

IU Health, Indiana's largest health care system, has appeared on U.S. News & World Report's annual list of "Best Hospitals" for the past 16 years and has spent the past two years on the magazine's prestigious "Honor Roll," ranking among the top one percent of U.S. hospitals. 

U.S. News & World Report's 2013-2014 list of "Best Hospitals" ranks IU Health's cardiology and cardiovascular surgery program among the nation's top 50 programs.

"We chose IU Health after a nationwide search for the right partner," said Steve Kulick, MD, ProHealth Care's chief medical officer.  "We want only the best for our patients, and we are confident that we will offer just that."

ProHealth Care has long been a leader in heart surgery in Wisconsin.  ProHealth's program is one of the state's busiest, with more than 400 cardiothoracic surgeries performed at Waukesha Memorial Hospital every year.

The physicians and staff of ProHealth and IU Health will collaborate to establish a premier surgery program in Waukesha.  The Waukesha program will employ the clinical protocols, care pathways and quality metrics that have been the foundation of Indiana's program.  IU Health and ProHealth will jointly oversee the surgery program in Waukesha, setting standards for clinical quality, safety and the patient experience.

"Essentially, we will be combining all of our knowledge and experience with all of ProHealth Care's expertise to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients," Dr. Coffey said.

IU Health and ProHealth will work toward adding services at Waukesha Memorial that will allow patients to benefit from new treatment options and new technologies rooted in the latest evidence-based practices.  These include transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR, a minimally invasive procedure that can benefit some high-risk patients who suffer from a narrowing of the aortic valve opening, as well as Maze surgery for treatment of atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat.

The cardiothoracic surgeons will work in partnership with ProHealth Care's cardiologists and electrophysiologists to provide complete heart care services.

"This is a big step forward for our heart care program and for our patients," said Kooroush Saeian, MD, medical director of cardiology for ProHealth Care. "Our cardiologists look forward to working in partnership with IU Health and taking our program to a new level."

Edwards regards the agreement with IU Health as an example of the kind of innovation that will be required to adapt to rapid change in health care.

"The challenges we face today are demanding that we continually find new solutions and better ways to do our work so that we can deliver real value for our patients and our community," she said.  "That's the motivation behind our new partnership with Indiana University Health."

About ProHealth Care
For a century, ProHealth Care has been the health care leader in Waukesha County and surrounding areas, providing outstanding care across a full spectrum of services. The people of ProHealth Care strive to continuously improve the health and well-being of the community by combining skill, compassion and innovation. The ProHealth family includes Waukesha Memorial Hospital, Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital, the Rehabilitation Hospital of Wisconsin, ProHealth Care Medical Associates clinics, AngelsGrace Hospice, ProHealth Home Care and Hospice, West Wood Health & Fitness Center and Regency Senior Communities. Learn more at www.ProHealthCare.org.

About Indiana University Health
Named among the "Best Hospitals in America" by U.S. News & World Report for 16 consecutive years, Indiana University Health is dedicated to providing a unified standard of preeminent, patient-centered care. A unique partnership with Indiana University School of Medicine — one of the nation's leading medical schools — gives IU Health's highly skilled physicians access to innovative treatments using the latest research and technology. Learn more at iuhealth.org.

SOURCE ProHealth Care