Mather Hospital opened its Cardiac Catheterization and Electrophysiology Lab on Tuesday, May 18, 2021 following final approval by the New York State Department of Health. A ribbon-cutting ceremony dedicating the new lab was held on May 12.
The Cath Lab, as it is commonly known, includes catheterization and electrophysiology labs that will allow Mather to enhance the region’s cardiac services by performing minimally invasive tests and procedures to diagnose and treat cardiovascular conditions. Patients are currently transferred from Mather to have these services performed elsewhere. The electrophysiology lab will open later this year.
“The opening of the Cath Lab is a momentous occasion that has been over three decades in the making,” said Mather President Kenneth Roberts. “This lab will create a new level of innovative care and treatment at Mather Hospital. Thanks to our partnership with Northwell Health we continue to raise health in our community.”
Cardiac catheterization is a diagnostic procedure used to visualize the arteries and chambers of the heart and treat any narrowing of blood vessels (stenosis) or other abnormality. A catheter – a thin, hollow tube – is inserted into a large blood vessel that leads to the heart. Once surgeons identify a blocked artery, they open it to restore blood flow to the heart and in that way prevent muscle damage. The electrophysiology lab will be used to assess and repair the heart’s electrical system and diagnose abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmia).
The Cath Lab is headed by Luis Gruberg, MD, interventional cardiologist and professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. The Electrophysiology Lab will be headed by Rajat Goyal, MD, cardiologist and assistant professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.
“Mather Hospital’s new cath lab will provide members of our community with advanced cardiac procedures close to home,” said Dr. Gruberg. “This means our patients will get the potentially life-saving care they need more quickly from our expert team. For those who require more advanced procedures, Northwell’s Sky Heath helicopter can quickly transport them to any facility in the northeast, including the advanced heart program at South Shore University Hospital.”
The Cath Lab also gives our community access to Northwell Health’s world-class
cardiac care, including the heart program at South Shore University Hospital, a nationally recognized interventional cardiology and cardiac surgery program. South Shore’s outcomes for certain types of open-heart surgery are among the best in New York State.
South Shore is one of the 50 best hospitals in the United States for heart surgery and among the top 10 percent in the nation for coronary interventional procedures for 2019, according to Healthgrades.
Learn more about the Cath Lab Program: