Pocono News Section

Mercy Hospital Unveils New Heart Rhythm Center

Mercy Hospital Unveils New Heart Rhythm Center - Friday, January 29, 2010 at 6:46PM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Friday, Jan 29, 2010 @ 06:46pm EST
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY - A hospital in Scranton has a new piece of equipment to improve patient care. Mercy Hospital held a grand opening Friday for its new Heart Rhythm Center.

It was standing room only inside the center as the equipment was blessed and dedicated. Doctors, nurses and hospital officials dedicated a new electro-physiology lab which will now help treat people with heart problems.

"This is pretty much the quality of service that can be offered anywhere in the country and we're ready to use it," Dr. John Lundin said.

The new equipment gives doctors the ability to look at a person's heart in real time and gives them two-dimensional views.

"We did have an E. P. lab here prior but it wasn't state-of-the-art. It wasn't to what we would consider to be the standard of what we would want to provide at Mercy Hospital Scranton," Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anthony Yanni said.

The new equipment cost $1.6 million dollars. Officials say it will pay off in better patient care.

"The doctors can actually see in much greater detail and clarity exactly what the problem is and it allows more specific treatment and more efficient care," Dr. Yanni said.

"Its faster, less exposure to radiation and more beautiful pictures. It just makes it a whole lot easier," Dr. Lundin said.

The equipment is just the latest additional at Mercy Hospital. In November, the hospital unveiled an outpatient Cardiac Cath lab.

"There's a large strategic plan here at Mercy to continue to improve our facility and to continue to expand our services we provide to the community and we're going to continue to do that down the road," Dr. Yanni said.

Besides Mercy Hospital, the equipment can also be found at Scranton CMC and Geisinger Wyoming Valley.