ANN ARBOR, MI - The University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center won't start welcoming patients to its new building for another two years. But rising demand for U-M medical care, including the center's advanced heart and vascular care, is already prompting major expansion plans.

Today, U-M Health System leaders received permission from the University's Board of Regents to add 28 more inpatient beds to the CVC by finishing and equipping empty “shell” space included in the building's original plans. The plan, which will also require state approval, will increase the CVC's bed total to 48.

The expansion will mean that many adult CVC patients will be able to receive all of their care, from diagnosis and outpatient appointments to surgery and recuperation, in one state-of-the-art building.

The CVC will also connect to U-M's University Hospital, next door, where specialized teams will care for some patients treated in the CVC's operating or procedure rooms.

The added beds in the CVC building are part of the U-M Health System's efforts to meet an ever-growing number of patients. University Hospital has been operating near its maximum capacity recently, despite opening 57 beds in the last three years.

“In addition to giving our cardiovascular patients an all-in-one location for much of their care, this action is part of our overall plan to relieve pressure throughout our system, which is attracting more patients each year,” says Robert Kelch, M.D., U-M executive vice president for medical affairs and CEO of the U-M Health System. “This in turn will reduce wait times for patients who need a bed, and allow us to accept more patients from around the state who need specialized services that they can get nowhere else in the area.”

The addition will cost approximately $13 million, increasing the CVC project to $212 million, but will delay the opening by only two months.

The six-story, 350,000 square-foot building, and its adjoining 465-space parking deck and connectors to other buildings, were designed by Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott. Construction, led by the Barton Malow Company, began in September 2003 and is approaching the half-way mark.

Funds for the project are coming from U-M hospital reserves, and from fundraising. Among those supporting the CVC are Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps, who will appear at an upcoming fundraiser.

Says U-M Hospitals and Health Centers Chief Operating Officer Tony Denton, "I am so pleased to see the continued growth in our capacity on behalf of patients and their families. The increasing demand is a great reflection of the quality of care provided by our faculty and staff."

“Cardiovascular disease remains our state's, and our nation's, number-one killer, and demand for our services has risen dramatically in recent years,” says Linda Larin, CVC administrative director. “This expansion will give more people convenient access to our high-quality, multi-specialty care.”

The U-M CVC is nationally and internationally known for patient care, research and education in cardiology, hypertension, vascular medicine, vascular surgery, cardiac surgery, interventional radiology, stroke care and children's heart care. It's ranked 19 th in the nation for cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News and World Report magazine, 5 th in the nation for women's heart care by Good Housekeeping magazine, and 7 th in the nation for pediatric heart care by Child magazine.

The excellence of U-M cardiovascular care is also reflected in three disease-management programs accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organization: coronary artery disease, heart failure and primary stroke care.

U-M cardiovascular specialists have a special commitment to research on new ways to improve the quality of cardiovascular care for everyone. They have led international, national and statewide projects that have saved lives and prevented complications for patients being treated for heart attacks, high blood pressure and aortic dissections, and patients undergoing angioplasties and angiograms. They've developed guidelines for evidence-based care that are in use nationwide, and created unique preventive and rehabilitative programs for high-risk patients.

U-M patients have access to some of the world's most advanced care for serious heart and blood vessel conditions, including heart transplants, a range of implanted heart-assist devices, minimally invasive procedures to open or shore up damaged blood vessels, advanced emergency stroke care, repairs of life-threatening valve and vascular conditions, and treatments for heart arrhythmias.

The CVC's new beds will mainly be used for a step-down unit for patients who are recuperating from surgery on their blood vessels, heart or chest. They add to the CVC's 24 intensive-care beds.

The CVC building will also include:

• Thirty- six outpatient clinic rooms where teams of doctors, nurses and others from many specialties will see patients in a coordinated, team-based way
• A state-of-the-art diagnostic facility for electrocardiograms, echocardiography, and vascular diagnostics, and a link to the MRI, PET and other imaging areas in University Hospital
• A new Cardiovascular Procedures Unit that will include five suites where cardiac catheterization procedures such as angioplasties will be performed, five electrophysiology procedure suites for heart-rhythm procedures, and two vascular intervention suites.
• Eight operating rooms for the use of surgeons and interventional radiologists
• Teaching space where the next generation of cardiovascular specialists can be trained
• A “winter garden” with five-story glass walls that will provide a view of outdoor gardens
• Patient and family areas, including a cafe, patient education center and respite/quiet rooms
• Office space for faculty and staff

Clinical services for infants, children and teens provided by the world-renowned U-M Congenital Heart Center, part of the Cardiovascular Center, will remain in U-M C.S. Mott Children's Hospital.

For more information on the U-M Cardiovascular Center, visit www.med.umich.edu/cvc or call the patient appointment line at 888-287-1082. For more information on the CVC building project, visit www.plantext.bf.umich.edu/plantext/projects/CVC.

Follow these links for previous announcements regarding the Cardiovascular Center building

Initial Approval:
http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2002/cvc.htm

Building plan approval:
http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2003/cvc.htm

Ground breaking ceremony http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2003/cvcgroundbreaking.htm

Written by Kara Gavin

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