Your Local Go-To Team for Heart and Vascular Care
MyMichigan’s comprehensive Heart and Vascular Program is served by an experienced team of physicians and advanced practice providers. These include cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, electrophysiologists, heart failure and structural heart specialists, as well as vascular and cardiovascular surgeons. So, where do you go, when you need heart and vascular care? Not far, because you have a local, board certified go-to team ready to serve you. You also have access to a wide variety of diagnostic cardiac and vascular tests through MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena. These include diagnostic cardiac catheterization, CT angiography, exercise and nuclear stress tests, echocardiograms, electrocardiograms (EKGs), Holter monitoring, carotid ultrasound, Doppler studies, ankle brachial index (ABI), vein mapping, arterial assessments and others.
Additionally, some heart and vascular interventions are also performed locally, including peripheral vascular interventions to treat PAD and emergent angioplasty and stenting interventions for STEMI patients. Should more advanced treatment become necessary, MyMichigan Medical Center Midland provides elective angioplasty and streamlined access to a full range of advanced structural heart procedures like TAVR, MitraClip™ and WATCHMAN™, as well as open heart & vascular surgery.
Streamlined Emergency Response
Last fall, MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena and MyMichigan EMS launched an Emergent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) and Regional STEMI Alert Program designed to rapidly identify patients who are suffering from ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the most serious type of heart attacks. This program, based on an established state protocol, approves up to a 90-minunte transport time, to bypass the closest Emergency Department and take STEMI patients to MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena, the closest PCI Center. Upon arrival to the ER, the patient is taken to the cardiac cath lab so that blood flow can be quickly re-established to their heart through angioplasty and stenting. This program is designed to not only save lives but also maximize a patient’s chance of recovery without loss of heart muscle or long-term complications. MyMichigan EMS actively collaborates with other local EMS agencies to provide training and share best practices. EMS agency partners include Alcona County EMS, Alpena City Fire, Hillman EMS, Rogers City Ambulance Authority, Tri Township EMS and Albert Township Fire Department in Lewiston.
A Complete Continuum of Care
One of the best reasons to make MyMichigan your home for heart and vascular care is that we offer a full continuum of care close to home. This includes streamlined emergency intervention and minimally invasive procedures, as well as advanced heart and vascular surgery, and clinical trials. This saves time, avoids duplicate paperwork and testing, and provides smoother transition to local recovery options such as home care, cardiac rehabilitation and follow-up appointments.
Our comprehensive heart and vascular offerings differentiate MyMichigan and ensure that our communities have access to the highest standards of cardiac care based on best practices. We take pride in striving to provide care where, when and how patients want it delivered.
Heart Failure Clinic
For your convenience, a Heart Failure Clinic is offered within the cardiology office. MyMichigan’s Heart Failure Program was developed in collaboration with the University of Michigan and is based on best practices for treating patients suffering from heart failure. The program is designed to assist patients in monitoring responses to treatment, modifying behaviors, adjusting medications, coordinating care with their doctor or advanced practice provider, and facilitating referrals for advanced heart failure treatments.
MitraClip™ is a trademark of Abbott and WATCHMAN™ is a trademark of Boston Scientific.
