MVHI At St. Elizabeth Medical Center Holds Tours For New Helen Firsching Cardiac Catheterization Lab

The Mohawk Valley Heart Institute (MVHI) at St. Elizabeth Medical Center held tours of its new Helen Firsching Cardiac Catheterization Lab on Tuesday, March 4.  Tours were conducted for employees and volunteers during the day and evening hours.  A ceremony to bless the new lab, with a ribbon cutting, was held at 6 p.m.

The St. Elizabeth Medical Center cath lab ranked 6th busiest among all (75) cath labs in New York State for the two most recent years New York State data published: in 2005.

The lab area is made up of two Cardiac Catheterization Labs; one Electrophysiology Lab and a third lab, which is not equipped at this time, for future growth.  Each of the new labs is equipped with state-of-the-art, ceiling-mounted Philips FD 10 flat panel digital fluoroscopy units. The Electrophysiology Lab is complete with a tilt table exam room for patient procedures. 

With this new technology, the cardiologists will be able to get superb images with less radiation.  Also included is a nine-bed holding/recovery area with a Family Conference Center located adjacent to the lab.  The MVHI Administrative Offices will be located in the new area along with staff locker rooms, a lounge and conference room.

The total cost of construction for this project is over six million dollars.