Ashtabula County Medical Center | ACMC Pulse | Summer 2019

12 ACMC Pulse  • Anniversary Issue • acmchealth.org ACMC HAS ALWAYS had a heart for cardiac care. There are few areas of the hospital that reinforce its dedication to the community like its cardiology services. In fact, cardiac care was one of the highlights of Ashtabula General Hospital’s first few years in operation. A surgical milestone The year was 1908. An Ashtabula man was at a dance when he was stabbed in the heart. With the knife impaled in his still-beating heart, the man was rushed to Ashtabula General Hospital where Dr. Burroughs and Dr. Aldrich decided to attempt an operation to save his life. First, the doctors removed three of the man’s ribs so they could get to the heart. Then they removed the beating heart and knife, closed the wound, and replaced the heart and ribs. Unfortunately, the man only survived a few more hours, but the surgical feat reminded everyone that Ashtabula General Hospital physicians were ready to provide care and treatment to those in need. Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the U.S., and Ashtabula County ranks higher than the national and state averages for heart-related deaths. Although open heart surgery is not performed at ACMC, it does offer an array of diagnostic procedures to identify heart disease and set patients on the right track for treatment. Center for Heart Care Three Cleveland Clinic cardiologists and an ACMC nurse practitioner who specializes in cardiology provide diagnosis and treatment at ACMC’s Center for Heart Care—where the cardiac catheterization lab, cardiac services, cardiac rehabilitation and more are located. By bringing all cardiac-related services together in one dedicated area of the hospital, patients have easier access to all the services offered. “ACMC’s Center for Heart Care is a crucial part of our effort to improve the local health of our communities—especially since heart disease is a known killer of our friends and neighbors,” said ACMC Healthcare System President and CEO Michael Habowski. “Our affiliation with Cleveland Clinic means we bring the experts from the No. 1-ranked heart hospital in the United States* right here to Ashtabula County. They are here for you every day.” *According to U.S. News & World Report GUARD YOUR HEART Learn more about what you can do to prevent heart disease at acmchealth.org/ heartcare . We bring the experts from the No. 1-ranked heart hospital in the United States right here to Ashtabula County. Heart care at front & center