Surgeons at Sinai are complemented by a caring, professional surgical nursing staff.

Surgical
Solutions

SPECIAL A DVERTISEMENT

I

f all the necessary
diagnostic tests
have been done
and all the med-
ications and life-
style modifications
have been tried,
but the problem
persists — threatening
life and living — some-
times the only answer
may be surgery. That's
when the Sinai Hospi-
tal Cardiovascular and
Thoracic Surgery pro-
gram's 20 years of ex-
perience in open heart
surgery counts most.
Today, as one of only
12 such heart centers
in southeastern Michi-
gan, Sinai is a leader in
cardiac surgery and re-
search. From estab-
lishing innovative
methods in the operat-
ing room to implanting

heart rhythm regulat-
ing devices without
opening the chest, Sinai
is compiling an im-
pressive cardiac re-
sume.
Dr. Eric C. Hanson,
acting chairman of the
department, explains
that he inserts over 100
of these anti-tachycar-
dia systems every year.
He and his team also
surgically treat con-
genital heart disease in
adults and cardiac tu-
mors. Sinai's cardiac
team also inserts pace-
makers and performs
valve replacements,
lung and esophagus
surgery.
Cardiac bypass sur-
gery is very common
and, consequently, very
costly. So Sinai has de-
veloped a successful

method of reducing its
costs. "We've developed
a managed care plan,"
says Dr. Hanson, offer-
ing a discount rate to
provide services to a
large number of pa-
tients.
"We can reduce the
length of stay by man-
aging care," he ex-
plains. Using a team
approach with a net-
work of cardiologists,
cardiac surgeons, anes-
thesiologists, and nurs-
es, all dedicated to
following a daily goal
plan, most bypass pa-
tients are discharged
within five to six days.

'/
N

The plan includes
post-operative educa-
tion, attention to the
patient's meal schedule,
reduction of blood
drawing and other
tests, and reduction of
medication.
"We're very serious
about becoming a cost-
effective provider of
these services," Dr.
Hanson says. "We
cannot ignore it. Ven-
dors of health care are
concerned with quality
health care and costs.
And so is Sinai." I ►

§inal

Sinai's team approach
to care following heart
surgery - including
post-operative exercise -
permits patients to go
home sooner.