Adena Health has temporarily paused its cardiac surgical program. The decision was made after an internal review and following an initial assessment by HealthLinx, a top heath care operations consultancy firm. During this time, Adena will continue to work with its providers and staff to develop a plan to better improve operational efficiency and effectiveness to better serve and ensure the health and well-being of its patients and employees.


To be clear, the organization’s objective with this decision is to make the health system an even better, stronger, resource for the patients who rely on Adena Health for their cardiovascular care. During the temporary pause to cardiac surgeries, all patients who are scheduled to receive surgical care through this group will be connected with our partners at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, to ensure continuity of care with minimal interruption. 


It is important to note that this temporary pause only affects cardiac surgeries. Adena cardiology, and thoracic and vascular surgery, are not affected by this decision and will continue to provide their excellent services including, cardiac catheterization and incoming emergent MIs (STEMI and non-STEMIs).


Adena will continue to work with its providers and staff to assess the flow of patient management and make recommendations for how to best resume its cardiac surgery program. The cardiovascular program is experiencing significant growth, and this evaluation and temporary restructuring process will allow these teams to flourish internally, which in turn, will deliver the best patient care possible.

Adena Health Cardiology FAQs

 

1. What procedures are still being performed at Adena?

This temporary pause will only affect cardiac surgeries. Adena cardiology, thoracic and vascular surgery are not affected by this decision and will continue to provide their excellent services including cardiac catheterization and incoming emergent heart attack and chest pain treatment – MIs (STEMI and non-STEMIs). 

2. What is happening to patients who already have procedures planned?

All patients who were scheduled to receive surgical care through the group will be directly connected with our partners at Ohio State to ensure continuity of care with minimal interruptions.  

3. Will there still be cardiovascular emergency services provided?

Yes. This temporary pause will only affect cardiac surgeries. Adena cardiology, thoracic and vascular surgery are not affected by this decision and will continue to provide their excellent services including, cardiac catheterization and incoming emergent heart attack and chest pain treatment – MIs (STEMI and non-STEMIs). 

4. What is happening to the providers in the cardiovascular department?

We are currently developing a plan in coordination with HealthLinx, a third-party consulting firm hired to assess our cardiovascular service line, to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness to benefit our caregivers and the communities that we are honored to serve. We will continue to work with our providers and caregivers to assess the flow of patient management and make recommendations for how to best resume our cardiac surgery program.

All providers remain with Adena who provide cardiac, thoracic and vascular services. We have paused only the cardiac surgery side which included the providers in that service.

5. Do I need to find a new doctor?

All patients who were scheduled to receive surgical care through this group will be directly connected with our partners at Ohio State to ensure continuity of care with minimal interruptions. If there are any updates regarding your current provider that may affect your service and care plan, we will contact you directly. 

6. Why make this decision now?

This decision was made after an internal review by our team and following HealthLinx’s initial assessment phase. We have decided to pause the cardiac surgery program while a plan is developed to better improve operational efficiency and effectiveness to benefit our caregivers and the communities we are honored to serve. 

7. Is this decision based on recent media scrutiny of Adena’s cardiac department? 

No. The decision was made after an internal review by our team and following HealthLinx’s initial assessment phase. To be clear, our objective with this decision is to make Adena Health an even better, stronger resource for the patients who rely on us for their cardiovascular care. 

Our cardiovascular program is experiencing significant growth, and this evaluation and temporary restructuring process will allow these teams to flourish internally, which in turn, will deliver the best patient care possible.

8. Are you admitting your cardiac department isn’t providing quality care? 

The decision to pause our cardiac surgery program was not based on the quality of care provided. During the pause, HealthLinx and Adena will continue to work with our providers and caregivers to assess the flow of patient management and make recommendations for how to best improve operational efficiency and effectiveness and better serve and ensure the health and well-being of our patients and caregivers. The quality of care provided by our cardiovascular program was not a factor in the decision, as our metrics measure up to our competitors in the region. 

9. When did you bring in HealthLinx?

We began working with HealthLinx a few weeks ago. We want our cardiac surgery and cardiovascular service line to be the best; HealthLinx’s expertise will provide that guidance on how to improve the excellent services we provide.

10. How will working with HealthLinx improve Adena’s cardiology program?

As part of our continued pursuit of excellence, we’ve enlisted HealthLinx to take our cardiology program to the next level and to help us better serve patients throughout Adena’s nine county service region. Quality of care and patient safety remain our top priorities. The evaluation of the cardiovascular program by a third party will objectively determine what the program is doing well and where there may be opportunities for growth. That includes an assessment of services performed, quality metrics, financial viability, patient experience, staffing, and more. 

Adena’s cardiovascular program is experiencing significant growth. The evaluation and temporary restructuring process will allow those teams to flourish internally; in turn, they will deliver the best patient care possible and continue to provide the advanced services that keep patients and their families closer to home. 

11. Does Adena Health have more cardiac care incidents than its peers?

Adena’s quality metrics are consistent with our competitors in the region. That data is reported by all hospitals and is available to the public to view.