Canton-Potsdam Hospital is now part of a top 100 cardiovascular program. The Hospital is affiliated with Fletcher Allen Health Care, which was recently named to the list of top 100 hospitals for Cardiovascular Care in the United States by Thompson Reuters, Inc.

The 11^th annual study identifies the 100 US hospitals that set the nation’s benchmarks for inpatient cardiovascular care.

The study, 100 Top Hospitals: Cardiovascular Benchmarks, examined the performance of 971 hospitals by analyzing outcomes for patients diagnosed with heart failure and heart attacks, and for those who received coronary bypass surgery or percutaneous cardiovascular interventions (PCI) such as angioplasties. The study found that these hospitals have:

·        17 percent lower mortality rates for heart attack patients

·        10 percent lower mortality rates for heart failure patients

·        27 percent lower mortality for bypass surgery patients

·        22 percent lower mortality following angioplasty/stenting

·        Fewer post-operative complications (99 percent of patients were complication-free)

·        Close to 12 percent shorter average hospital stay

·        12 percent lower cost per case

Two cardiologists with Canton-Potsdam Hospital, Dr. Alexandru Stoian and Dr. Anthony Tramontano, are members of the Fletcher Allen cardiovascular program: Dr. Stoian is an assistant professor at the University of Vermont College of Medicine, and was himself named to a list of top 100 cardiologists in 2008. Dr. Tramontano was recruited to CPH with assistance from Fletcher Allen. Dr. Tramontano also holds a faculty appointment at the University of Vermont College of Medicine. Another member of the cardiology team at CPH is Dr. Robert Rogers, II, an internal medicine specialist and the Hospital’s Medical Director. Dr. Rogers works closely with Fletcher Allen on quality issues related to cardiovascular care and other care standards. Fletcher Allen is the medical center for the University of Vermont College of Medicine and College of Nursing.

In addition, several Fletcher Allen cardiovascular specialists hold regular visiting clinics at Canton-Potsdam Hospital, so patients with special issues can access care closer to home, when their condition permits. They include Dr. Michael A. Ricci and Dr. Georg Steinthorssen, vascular surgeons, Dr. Robert Lobel, a specialist in arrhythmias, Dr. Nancy Drucker, a specialist in pediatric cardiology, Dr. Mark Capeless, a specialist in pacemaker issues, and Dr. William Hopkins, who diagnoses and treats adult congenital heart disease. Two additional members of the CPH cardiology team are Dr. Jamie Hynd, a cardiologist who serves the Canton and Potsdam neighborhoods through the EJ Noble location and the Hospital, and Dr. Michael Tulloch, an internal medicine specialist who sees patients from the Potsdam region.

In emergency situations, Canton-Potsdam Hospital is linked to Fletcher Allen through telemedicine, which allows physicians in the Emergency Department to share radiology images, laboratory results, and cardiovascular test results with physicians at Fletcher Allen before and during a patient’s transport to the Burlington-based hospital for tertiary level cardiovascular care. ER physicians can also see and speak to their counterparts and to specialists at Fletcher Allen in real time.

Canton-Potsdam Hospital’s Imaging Department also contributes to a high-quality cardiovascular program. The Hospital was the first in the region to offer 64-slice CT scanning of the heart, which offers a non-invasive method for visualizing the arteries. Highly trained technologists and radiologists use the latest low-dose contrast dye for the safest, yet most highly detailed images.

“The Thompson Reuters study confirms that patients in our area benefit from our affiliation with Fletcher Allen,” said David B. Acker, FACHE, President and CEO of Canton-Potsdam Hospital. “The affiliation was informal until 2005, when the Hospital made a conscious decision that sharing information and resources between health care professionals here and in Burlington improves care for patients who don’t need to transfer, and provides a high-quality, well-coordinated option for those who do need more advanced care,” he added.

For more information on the cardiology program at Canton-Potsdam Hospital, contact Sandy Jensen, Director of Cardiology Services, at (315) 261-5920.

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