Intermountain Medical Center

New and unique technology helps Intermountain’s renowned cardiac team diagnose and treat all kinds of heart problems.
One of the newest, most exciting breakthroughs in cardiac technology is a procedure known as stereotaxis. By using stereotaxis technology, doctors can navigate catheters through the body using magnets. There are a very limited number of these systems available in the United States, and only one in the Intermountain west. You’ll find it at the new J.L. Sorenson Heart & Lung Center at Intermountain Medical Center.

“Usually stereotaxis devices are associated with academic institutions,” says Scott Allison, director of the new hospital’s cardiac cath lab. “We’re pioneering its use in the real world and we’re very excited. The technology will make electrophysiology more effective, faster, and safer.”

Intermountain’s renowned cardiac diagnostic and interventional services are expanding
Intermountain has historically had a world-renowned cardiac catheterization program, and all of the traditional cardiac diagnostic and interventional procedures will also be available at its new flagship heart and lung hospital. The department is growing, from six cath labs at LDS Hospital to eight at Intermountain Medical Center. There will also be more space for preparing and recovering patients - 32 beds instead of the previous 18.

Heart and Lung Center offers enhanced physician integration and computer support
In addition, the department’s working space has been designed to accommodate physicians while they’re in the area. Physicians have physical workstations right in the department. This means that doctors can make better use of their downtime and allows better synergy between the nurses, physicians, and staff.

Not only has the physical space been designed for efficiency, so has the computer system. Doctors can go to one computer to look at a patient’s CT, cardiac cath, echo, nuclear scans, MRI, and other diagnostic tests and those same tests can also be called up from other cardiology departments in the Intermountain system. So, if a cardiac patient from Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George has an episode while they’re 300 miles away in Salt Lake, we can pull up their files electronically. Soon, they will also be available view results remotely, so physicians can look at their patients’ tests wherever they are.

More patients entering the J.L. Sorenson Heart & Lung building will be visiting the catheterization area than any other department, so it is conveniently located on the ground level.