Cardiology and Diagnostic Imaging Services at Provena United Samaritans are now showing off their new home, as Phase Two of the remodel project that launched the Women's Health Center has come to completion. 

Phase One included the construction of the Women's Health Center, and the acquisition of the new 64-slice CT scan, which were completed at the end of last year.   Since then, crews have been working to restructure, redecorate, and update the neighboring areas on the ground floor.  During the remodel, Cardiology was temporarily relocated to the third floor, but returned to the ground floor Friday, April 30.

"We're very excited to have our area upgraded for our patients and our staff" states Janet Ragle, RN, MSN, Director of Diagnostic Imaging," and we believe the overall patient experience will be better, with a centralized check-in and waiting area, allowing us to streamline patients to their tests and procedures."

All patients arriving for any services in Diagnostic Imaging (X-ray, MRI, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, CT scan), Cardiology (EKG, stress tests, Echocardiograms, Vascular studies) or Women's Health Center services (breast biopsy, mammogram, ultrasound, bone density), will check in at the main reception area on the Ground Rear of the main elevators.  From there patients will either wait in the central waiting area, be escorted to the women's waiting area, or to their scheduled service.

"We were also able to purchase a new cardiology ultrasound machine," states Ragle. "This will allow us to have more flexibility in scheduling as well as being more portable for inpatient studies."

Another new feature in the Diagnostic Imaging remodel is a private family waiting area, where the physician can consult with the patient and the patient's family about their care and test results.

Provena United Samaritans' Cardiology department offers a variety of diagnostic tests and monitoring systems, a cardiac catheterization lab, and an extensive cardiac rehab program.  Within the past year, the hospital has purchased new automated external defibrillators throughout the hospital, and began offering angioplasty and stent placement to open arteries in the lower extremities.  In February, the medical center was designated as providing 5-star heart attack care by HealthGrades®.

For more information on Cardiology or Diagnostic Imaging services at Provena United Samaritans Medical Center, call 217-443-5245 or visit www.provena.org/usmc.