From a press release:
Harris Regional Hospital, a Duke LifePoint hospital, has announced plans to significantly expand cardiology services in Sylva, Jackson County, and the surrounding region with the addition of needed diagnostic, treatment, and monitoring services, as well as stress testing and echocardiography, seven days a week. The hospital also plans to establish cardiac catheterization services and a pacemaker implantation and monitoring clinic as part of the hospital’s expansion. To accommodate this growth and expansion of services, two new cardiologists will be joining the hospital’s medical staff.
The expansion of Harris Regional Hospital’s cardiology services comes on the heels of long-time Sylva cardiologist Dr. Earl Haddock’s retirement announcement, and Asheville Cardiology Associates’ decision to close its Sylva office known as Sylva Cardiology, effective December 31, 2016. Laura Verde, MD joined Dr. Haddock and Sylva Cardiology in 2011 and together they have provided compassionate, quality cardiology care to patients throughout the area. Dr. Verde has chosen to pursue a new opportunity outside of the community. In early 2017, Harris Regional Hospital will open a hospital-owned practice in the current Sylva Cardiology location inside Harris Regional Hospital on the second floor.
“We are excited to grow our local cardiology program by providing additional services close to home for residents who shouldn’t have to travel outside of their community for healthcare that we can provide,” said Steve Heatherly, CEO of Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital. “We consider it a privilege to serve the healthcare needs of our community and will continuously work to further enhance access to high-quality care, right here in Sylva.”
In providing cardiac catheterization services, Harris Regional Hospital will partner with Duke LifePoint Cardiac Partners, LLP. The hospital is also seeking Chest Pain Center accreditation from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care, the accrediting arm of the American College of Cardiology. Accreditation as a Chest Pain Center signifies the hospital has met nationally-designated standards to provide resources for early heart attack care.
About Harris Regional Hospital & Swain Community Hospital
Harris Regional Hospital, established in 1925, is an 86-bed acute and specialty care facility serving Western North Carolina with more than 100 physicians practicing in locations throughout a multi-county region, including Harris Regional Hospital Medical Park of Franklin, an outpatient facility in Macon County.
Swain Community Hospital, established in 1950, is a 48-bed Critical Access Hospital serving a multi-county region with primary care, emergency medicine and subspecialty care including a pain clinic and a transitional care unit. Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital began an affiliation in 1997 and joined Duke LifePoint Healthcare in 2014.
About Duke LifePoint Healthcare
Duke LifePoint Healthcare, a joint venture of Duke University Health System, Inc. and LifePoint Health® (NASDAQ: LPNT), was established to build a dynamic network of hospitals and healthcare providers. The joint venture, which brings together LifePoint’s experience in community-based hospital management and Duke’s world-renowned leadership in patient safety and clinical quality systems, is strengthening and improving healthcare delivery by providing community hospitals the clinical, quality and operational resources they need to grow and prosper.
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