Kent expands cardiology services, adds heart failure program

Posted 8/6/13

In conjunction with the Center for Advanced Heart Disease at Brigham and Women’s Hospital of Boston, Kent Hospital has developed an Advanced Heart Failure Program. The program will enhance the …

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Kent expands cardiology services, adds heart failure program

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In conjunction with the Center for Advanced Heart Disease at Brigham and Women’s Hospital of Boston, Kent Hospital has developed an Advanced Heart Failure Program. The program will enhance the scope of services locally for Kent’s Cardiology Division, which already offers an array of clinical services to cardiac patients in the community.

“The addition of the advanced heart failure program at Kent is a tremendous benefit to our community and the patients we treat,” Sandra Coletta, COO Care New England, president and CEO of Kent Hospital, said in a statement. “It is our goal with this program to offer the most cutting edge treatments for one of the most common medical conditions, which will allow our patients to live healthier, higher-quality lives.”

Heart failure is a common condition where the heart loses some of its pumping function. This can lead to a variety of medical issues, including shortness of breath, unintentional weight gain, weakness, cough, and swelling in the abdomen, ankles or legs. Common causes of heart failure include severe coronary disease, high blood pressure, uncontrolled diabetes, disease of the heart valves, heart rhythm problems, infections of the heart muscle, or genetic conditions that can run in families. Treatments must be individualized based on the underlying cause of heart muscle weakness and the needs of the patient. 

The Advanced Heart Failure Program at Kent Hospital will be directed by Garrick C. Stewart, MD, MPH, a member of the Brigham and Women’s Cardiovascular Associates at Kent Hospital. He will also co-direct the Care New England Heart Failure Management Program, a population health management program focused on reducing re-admissions for heart failure.  Dr. Stewart is a board certified advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist, as well as an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School and associate physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He is a member of the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation and the Heart Failure Society of America.  

“We are extremely excited to add the advanced heart failure program to the cardiology services at Kent Hospital and also to welcome Dr. Garrick Stewart to Kent Hospital,” said Chester Hedgepeth, MD, PhD, executive chief of cardiology at Kent Hospital. “Dr. Stewart brings specialized experience to our team. We hope to apply this advanced care and clinical expertise to the increasing cases of chronic heart failure in our community. This ultimately supports our goal to keep specialized cardiac care in a local setting, close to home.”

Heart failure services to be provided include comprehensive heart failure evaluation; individualized medical therapies; multidisciplinary care; evidence-based disease management program; education about dietary and lifestyle choices; access to clinical trials for heart failure; and evaluation for advanced heart therapies, including mechanical heart pumps and heart transplantation.

In January 2013, a major expansion of cardiology services at Kent Hospital was announced through an agreement with Brigham and Women’s Hospital of Boston.

Brigham and Women’s Cardiovascular Associates at Kent Hospital is structured to serve patients every step of the way from diagnosis to treatment, including outpatient consultation, care in Kent’s congestive heart failure clinic, counseling for heart transplantation and an array of additional cardiac services. With specialists who represent a broad spectrum of cardiac services, the personalized approach to patient care will always be a priority from a clinical team of energetic, cutting-edge physicians who emphasize the latest in technology and treatment. For more information or to make an appointment, call 681-4996, or log on to www.kentri.org/bwcardio.

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