Coronary Care

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Cardiac Care Unit:  Monash Medical Centre, Clayton

The 21 bed Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) at Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, cares for patients with acute cardiac illnesses.  We provide care for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), unstable angina, cardiac failure and rhythm disturbances.  We have a 24 hour on call catheter laboratory and care for primary angioplasties, patients on intra-aortic balloon pumps, temporary pacing and severe cardiac failure.  We care for patients having elective procedures requiring overnight stay, such as PCI. Paediatric patients undergoing cardiac electrophysiological procedures are cared for in the unit.

The Cardiac Care Unit at Monash Medical Centre, is a world-renowned unit.  We are supported by a comprehensive cardiology department and cardiac catheter laboratory.  We are linked to a cardiovascular research unit that is pushing the boundaries in improving the management of cardiovascular disease.   The unit is conducive to team work across the disciplines where the exchange of information occurs freely.  We have a seminar room for in-service education that involves all members of the multi-disciplinary team.

The unit coordinates all areas of the patient continuum of care, providing a pre-admission service, all inpatient services and a cardiac rehabilitation program.  There will also be future opportunities for staff to work across services, such as the catheter laboratory or the cardiac area of the Emergency Department.  In this way we provide can improve the comprehensive care of our cardiac patients.

 

Heart Unit:  Dandenong Hospital

Dandenong Heart Unit is a busy and experienced CCU which has been providing cardiac services for 27 years. It is staffed exclusively by cardiologists, trained /experienced coronary care nurses and an advanced cardiology trainee. The unit has an established record of excellent patient outcomes. Of the 1126 patients admitted last financial year, 65% presented as acute coronary syndrome, 3% with chest pain and 13% presented with arrhythmias. The 19% of others included elective cardioversion, post angiography.  The unit is comprised of 6 monitored beds / 6 sub acute beds / 4 day procedure beds for diagnostic coronary angiography (outpatient service) (Monday to Thursday) and 8 telemetry units that are utilised between CCU and South West 4

Other Heart Unit Services / Relationships:

• CPAP, BIPAP, thrombolytic therapy and IABP is available
• The unit provides Code Blue cover for the Dandenong Hospital Site
• Telemetry monitoring for 50-60 patients per month for patients outside of the Heart Unit
• Participant in HARP projects:

• Diabetes Cardiovascular Risk Management Project
• Chronic Heart Failure Program.
• Participant in Safer Systems Saving Lives Project (Improving care for Acute Myocardial Infarction) under Southern Health cardiology banner
• Clinical Trials
• Active participant in international trials. Eg ASSENT 11, Extract TIMI 25 Trial
• Dandenong Heart Unit Cardiac Seminars (September 2002/April 2004/October 2005)
• Acute Coronary Syndrome Pathway (Evidence based)

Developed in collaboration with ED
Supported by Acute Coronary Syndrome care plan.

 

Cardiac Catheterisation and Interventional Laboratories:   Monash Medical Centre, Clayton

The cardiac catheter laboratories at Southern Health are leaders in the provision of diagnostic and interventional cardiac services. They are an integral part of Southern Health’s cardiac services provision to the people of Victoria. The laboratories offer a diverse and complex range of cardiac diagnostic and interventional procedures ranging from angiography, intravascular ultrasound and percutaneous coronary intervention, through to electrophysiology studies, cryo-ablation, pacing, valvuloplasties, paediatric cardiac procedures and the treatment of acute emergency cardiac infarcts.  We are also at the forefront in the development of new modalities of care and treatment for cardiac disease through our heavy involvement in research and participation in various international multi-centre trials and studies.

There is a 6 bed immediate care area for the provision of services to day procedures, which also caters for the inter-hospital transfer of patients to the catheter laboratory from the other

campuses within Southern Health.