GHH to Provide Doctors Simulation Training for Treating Coronary Artery Disease

Galichia will sponsor one-day, state-of-the-art simulation training on March 1, 2006

Galichia Heart Hospital will host the Boston Scientific Mobile Simulation Training Unit on March 1, 2006 to provide state-of-the-art, hands-on education for its cardiac catheterization lab physicians and staff. The unit replicates a cardiac catheterization lab with realistic simulation technology that enables practitioners to explore new procedural solutions and to “perform” percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in a risk-free environment.

“Coronary artery disease (CAD) affects approximately 11 million Americans and is the single leading killer of American men and women,” said CEO Tom Nester. “Our interventional cardiologists strive to stay informed about the latest technology to battle this deadly disease. As technologies evolve and allow us to treat more challenging cases, it’s important for physicians to maintain the skill and comfort level needed to approach these high risk scenarios. Continuous training is valuable in this regard and helps us enhance the high standard of care we provide to Wichita and the surrounding area.”

The mobile training unit is a 35-foot bus, complete with a pre-procedure patient briefing area, an area for performing interventions on a simulated patient named Simantha® and a post-procedure metric evaluation computer station. Participants will have the option of performing interventions with lesions or blockages in the coronary arteries that are considered “high risk” or a scenario involving the use of the latest embolic protection device to treat a patient with a diseased saphenous vein graft (SVG) that was placed during coronary bypass surgery.

“This kind of simulation not only gives us a unique opportunity to learn new approaches to challenging cases, but also allows us to hone our skills and techniques,” said Dr. Joseph Galichia.

Galichia Heart Hospital is a full-service medical facility with a staff of physicians specializing in cardiology and a variety of other disciplines.