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World-class heart, vascular team in a world-class facility by Susan Kammeraad-Campbell  Director of Publications, Marketing  Perhaps Marcus Wharton, M.D., formerly of Duke and an internationally recognized cardiologist who recently joined MUSC’s Heart and Vascular team, describes it best: “The facilities are phenomenal.” He’s referring to MUSC’s completely new cardiac imaging and interventional radiology center—a central feature of the Heart and Vascular Center—located on the fifth floor of the Children's Hospital. “People don’t realize the extraordinary quality we have here,” said William Spring, Heart and Vascular Center director. “Not only is the team delivering therapies and procedures that are on the cutting edge of heart and vascular care, in many cases they are the very individuals who helped to pioneer the new approaches.” And now, the Heart and Vascular Center has a new physical space that mirrors the quality of clinicians who staff it. “Helping to create this facility is what attracted me here and what has kept me fired up since my arrival 18 months ago. This is a world-class program,” said Spring. The 24,000-square-foot space (nearly half the size of a football field) offers one of the first cardiac imaging facilities in the Southeast and one of few in the country that combines state-of-the-art cardiology with interventional radiology services in one contiguous area. Patients and families visiting the new cardiovascular facility at the Medical University of South Carolina will be struck immediately by the atmosphere—ultramodern, but warm. “We have committed quite a bit of time and energy to develop a facility that will streamline the experience for the patient, while also providing considerable comfort,” said Michael Gold, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of the MUSC Heart and Vascular Center. By centralizing these services, the care is made more convenient to the patient. Patients, with their families present, can be registered, evaluated, undergo treatment from pre-operation through post-operation and even spend the night, all without moving more than a few feet. Comfort, convenience, elegance A concierge service greets patients as they enter the fifth-floor facility that has a striking view of the Cooper River Bridge. The comfortable waiting room has private spaces close at hand so patients and their families have a quiet place to meet and talk with physicians. A cathedral-ceiling atrium connects the waiting room to the patient treatment area supported by a wall of windows and complemented by a towering modernistic aquatic theme on the opposing wall. The 20 private patient rooms are outfitted with lighted ceiling displays of colorful lowcountry scenes. “At all levels, the care given to patients is exceptional,” said Christopher Nielsen, M.D., cardiologist and director of the Adult Cardiac Catheterization Labs. “This is truly a cohesive multidisciplinary center that gives patients the most complete range of options that modern medicine has to offer.” MUSC Heart, Vacular Center Open House to the MUSC Community  1:30 to 3:30 p.m., May 6 5th Floor, Children's Hospital Editor's note: The article is reprinted from Checkup newsletter, produced by MUSC Creative Services.  Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.