‘It’s going to save a lot of lives.’ Mount Nittany unveils enhanced cardio pavilion
When Mount Nittany Medical Center opened its diagnostic lab in 2007, heart attack patients were still treated with medication while interventional cardiologist Albert Zoda prayed the patient could be transferred to a better-equipped facility. But with a new cardiovascular pavilion, Zoda said there’s no more waiting or hoping — only quality care.
The 26,000-square-foot, $15 million pavilion includes an updated cardiac catheterization lab and electrophysiology lab spaces, complete with new imaging and monitoring technology. Following a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, MNMC staff, county officials and donors were able to get a first glimpse at the facility that will begin accepting patients on Wednesday.
“We want to provide quality care in our community, and this enables us to do that,” Zoda said, thanking those who trust MNMC to care for “their hearts and their lives.”
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the world for both men and women, said Mount Nittany Health President and Chief Operating Officer Kathleen Rhine. The support of medical staff and community members who allow MNMC to continue to grow and invest in new equipment is the “difference between life and death,” she said.
Centre County residents will have access to state-of-the-art cardiovascular diagnostic tools and treatment options, Rhine said, adding that minutes and seconds matter in cardiac emergencies. The pavilion houses four stress test exam rooms, eight preparation and recovery bays, an electrocardiogram exam room and two flex-designed labs that can be used for procedures.
Zoda moved to State College from Baltimore and began working at MNMC in 2000. In 2006, he said the facility recognized a need for improvements, which led to the creation of MNMC’s diagnostic lab and its cardiovascular program.
“Back in 2000 if you needed a cardiac catheterization, you were sent elsewhere,” Zoda said.
In pressing situations, Zoda said the hospital was limited in its ability to care for and comfort patients, saying that critical cases were prescribed “medication, a call to a helicopter and prayer.”
“I can remember sitting in a snowstorm with a guy in front of me, and there was nothing I could do for him,” Zoda said, saying that the hour and a half wait for an ambulance was the longest of his life.
Zoda said the average time between someone sitting in the waiting room to being on an operating table is 53 minutes at MNMC’s cardiovascular facility.
“We’re poised to continue taking care of folks in the community because our community grows,” Zoda said. “I think we will continue to do it with skill, grace and compassion.”
Local businessman and donor Galen Dreibelbis said he had his doubts about the initial cardiovascular facility, but after his wife received cardiovascular treatment at MNMC, his perspective changed.
“They did a great job with (Nancy), and they may have saved her life,” Dreibelbis said. “I kind of got convinced that I was wrong.”
When building new medical facilities, Dreibelbis said people don’t anticipate ever having a need for it — himself included.
The enhanced cardiovascular pavilion will help MNMC maintain its independence as a hospital, Dreibelbis said.
“The facility that’s here, we all know is going to help a lot of people,” he said. “It’s going to save a lot of lives. We don’t know who. We don’t know if it’s going to be you. We don’t know if it’s going to be a member of your family, but very probably, it’s going to be a lot of people we don’t even know. Isn’t that the best part?”
This story was originally published August 29, 2019 at 3:51 PM.
