BRMC welcomes new cardiac standards

Officials at Bluefield Regional Medical Center today welcomed the new state standards for advanced cardiac care. BRMC President and CEO Eugene Pawlowski commented that the "the new standards acknowledge the need for advanced cardiac treatment for the people of southern West Virginia, as well as those in southwest Virginia. The standards limit the possible new heart centers to one in the mid-Ohio Valley, and one in southern West Virginia. This sends a clear message that the State wants to approve a heart center to serve the cardiac patients in our area."

BRMC has been actively working to get permission from the West Virginia Health Care Authority to build a heart center since 1999, when the hospital first initiated efforts to gain a Certificate of Need for such a facility. The HCA turned down BRMC's request based upon healthcare standards that were in effect at the time, and suggested that a cooperative effort with Princeton Community Hospital would be desirable for a future application.

"The HCA further reduced the threshold for the number of cardiac surgeries a proposed heart center would project for the third year of operation from 350 to 250," Pawlowski said. "This is a more realistic number, and one we believe we will have no trouble meeting," he continued.

One stipulation that poses a problem for BRMC is that an applicant hospital must have performed 1,000 diagnostic catheterizations in the last 12 months prior to applying. "We think that figure is unnecessarily high, and during the 30-day comment period, we will suggest to the HCA that the number be lowered," Pawlowski said.

Pawlowski went on to say that hospital officials "are excited about the prospect of partnering with Charleston Area Medical Center to bring advanced cardiac treatment to the area." CAMC has proposed a joint effort with BRMC and Princeton Community Hospital to open a facility that would provide open-heart surgery and therapeutic angioplasty in Bluefield, and to have CAMC as a resource to perform the more difficult cases, or in case of emergencies.

"The State continues to encourage cooperation among hospitals, Pawlowski noted, "and we believe that a joint effort involving Princeton, CAMC and Bluefield Regional will gain approval by the Health Care Authority," he said. "A joint effort among the three hospitals would be a tremendous benefit to those who suffer from heart disease in our area," Pawlowski said, "and it has the added advantage of being a needed economic boost to the area," he said. "The benefits of a heart center here are tremendous," Pawlowski stated. "We are excited at the prospect of at last being able to provide this badly needed service to the people of our service area, and we encourage Princeton to join us," he concluded.