All Heart

Dr. Jeremy Lum is chief of cardiology for Straub Medical Center, which is the only hospital in the state to receive the Blue Cross Blue Shield Award of Distinction for Cardiac Care (photo courtesy Hawai’i Pacific Health).

Among Straub Medical Center’s many services that make it a leader in patient care includes its award-winning collaborative cardiac center.

The center provides a full range of services in adult cardiology and its comprehensive, collaborative heart care team is comprised of physicians and clinical professionals that treat patients across the state.

“Within the cardiac division, we have cardiologists specializing in different aspects of heart care, including heart rhythm disorders, heart failure, heart valve problems and atherosclerotic heart disease,” states Dr. Jeremy Lum, chief of cardiology for Straub Medical Center.

The medical center’s heart care excellence has made it a leader in the state for minimally invasive beating-heart procedures. Straub’s cardiac care division has performed more than 2,000 lifesaving cardiac procedures annually in the Clarence T.C. Ching Heart Center that includes a state-of-the-art Hybrid Suite as well as two cardiac catheterization labs.

“The Hybrid Suite is an operating room with specialized imaging equipment, which allows providers to perform minimally invasive surgeries,” explains Lum, who also serves as division chief of Hawai‘i Pacific Health Medical Group. “Procedures, such as TAVR (trans catheter aortic valve replacement) can only be performed in a Hybrid Suite. The catheterization labs are procedural rooms in which we perform cardiac procedures such as cardiac angiograms, coronary stunting, pacemakers, defibrillators and catheter ablations.”

He points out that these minimally invasive procedures provide options for patients who may not normally be a candidate for open-heart surgery. It also helps to shorten recovery time.

Lum adds that it’s not just about surgery.

“Besides our cardiovascular medicine department, we also offer the Ornish Lifestyle Medicine Program, which is an innovative approach to prevent, stop and even reverse heart disease and significantly improve other chronic conditions. It is the first program scientifically proven to reverse heart disease by making comprehensive lifestyle changes.”

The collaborative cardiac center’s services is gaining notice—Straub Medical Center is the only hospital in the state to receive the Blue Cross Blue Shield Award of Distinction for Cardiac Care.

hawaiipacifichealth.org/straub/