Ascension Saint Thomas River Park Hospital has been granted approval to open a Cardiac Catheterization Lab.

The Tennessee Health Services and Development Agency granted the hospital approval of its Certificate of Need application to open a Cardiac Catheterization Lab in McMinnville. Currently, patients in need of cardiac catheterization have to travel out of town to receive this necessary care. This can impact their status and recovery.

During cardiac cauterization, a doctor puts a small, flexible, tube called a catheter into a blood vessel in the arm, groin, or neck and the threads it through the blood vessel into the aorta and into the heart. Once the catheter is placed, multiple tests can be done. This is a common procedure that is done to diagnose or treat a variety of heart problems.

“We saw the need for cardiology here, as did Saint Thomas Heart,” said Dale Humphrey, CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas River Park. “We have over 900 patients a year who seek cardiac caths just in our ZIP code and we felt like we could better serve our patients by providing that locally and hopefully intervene sooner by making it more convenient. Timing is everything.”

The hospital used to have a cardiac cath facility many years ago. Humphrey said he approved a $3.3 million capital expenditure in order to purchase the equipment and renovate the former space it was in. He expects the cardiac cath lab to take about 12 to 18 months to complete.

The laboratory will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology utilized to perform both diagnostic and therapeutic cardiac catheterization procedures on adults. The lab will be located on the first floor. The hospital will renovate approximately 1,092 square feet to develop the area’s only catheterization laboratory.

“We are grateful to the members of the HSDA for their approval of our application,” said Humphrey. “This project aligns with our goal of making high-quality care accessible to all. We look forward to expanding this new offering to our community.”