St. Francis Heart Center Launches at St. Joseph Hospital

Catholic Health’s St. Francis Heart Center (SFHC) is expanding with the addition of new interventional services at St. Joseph Hospital in Bethpage, NY. 

Led by a team of world-renowned cardiologists from St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center®, St. Francis Heart Center at St. Joseph now offers lifesaving procedures such as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to patients who present at the hospital with a heart attack or other significant cardiac issue. Physicians can perform an intervention to open the artery through stenting when disease is discovered during a diagnostic catheterization. The capability to restore blood flow and save the heart muscle for patients within 90 minutes is critical. 

Additionally, the St. Francis Heart Center at St. Joseph team will evaluate and treat those who present with acute chest pain. Patients will be seen quickly by a physician and receive an EKG. The individual’s condition will be evaluated using the H.E.A.R.T. scoring method: History, Electrocardiogram (ECG), Age, Risk factors and levels of Troponin, ensuring customized, efficient and effective treatment.

“Bringing the St. Francis Heart Center expertise to St. Joseph expands access to our renowned cardiac care that consists of top-ranked physicians and medical teams closer to the communities we serve,” said St. Francis Hospital President Charles L. Lucore, MD, MBA.

“As a nationally ranked cardiovascular center by U.S. News & World Report and the only hospital on Long Island to have both a 5-Star CMS rating and a safety grade of ‘A’ by The Leapfrog Group, expanding our nationally ranked cardiac programs further enhances our vision of providing exceptional patient care in the communities we serve.”

The St. Francis Heart Center at St. Joseph team is backed by St. Francis Hospital interventional cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, anesthesiologists, perfusionists and others who are nationally renowned in all types of heart surgery. This includes facilitating access to coronary artery bypass surgery and the newest, minimally invasive valve procedures, including surgical techniques designed to treat certain cardiac arrhythmias or irregular heart rhythms at St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center®.

“St. Francis Heart Center at St. Joseph puts the quality of St. Francis Hospital closer to home for a large number of residents who will now have quick and easy access to exceptional cardiac care that will save lives,” said Catholic Health and St. Francis Hospital Chairman of Cardiology Richard Shlofmitz, MD. “Timely diagnosis and treatment of patients experiencing heart problems are vital to successful outcomes.”

The expanded cardiac services at St. Joseph joins St. Francis Heart Center programs at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip, Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre and St. Catherine of Siena Hospital in Smithtown.

Learn more about cardiology services offered at Catholic Health. Or, call 866-MY-LI-DOC (866-695-4362).