100 Top cardiovascular hospitals

Providence basking in glow of nationwide recognition

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The nation's health-care community is starting to realize what many Central Texans have known for years —that the cardiac care available at Providence Health Center in Waco is among the best in the country.

During the past month, the hospital has received high praise for its cardiology department from several national sources. It started in October, when it was named one of the country's top 100 heart hospitals. The honor came from Solucient, an Illinois-based health care information company, and Modern Healthcare , a leading industry publication.

Hospitals receive the designation based on various data it reports about its cardiovascular departments. They are divided into three different types of institutions — teaching hospitals with cardiovascular residencies, teaching hospitals without cardiovascular residencies and community hospitals.

Providence falls into the community hospitals category. This is the first time the hospital has received the honor.

"We are extremely proud," said Debbie Kucera, Providence's director of cardiology. "I think for us to be named is tremendous, especially since there were only 30 community hospitals (listed)."

The hospital got even more national exposure this month when one of its research projects was featured in Cath Lab Digest , a prestigious industry publication. Kucera said the glossy feature was a first for the hospital.

The latest buzz for the hospital came Friday, when it unveiled a new piece of heart equipment that has only been installed in six other hospitals worldwide. The machine helps doctors navigate medical devices, such as a stent, into the heart.

In conjunction with the installation of the equipment, Providence also announced Friday that it has established a formal research center that will allow the hospital to pioneer new uses for the technology.

"It's just too much," Kucera said. "It's really exciting."

Providence CEO and President Kent A. Keahey said he's glad Providence is getting recognition for all of the hard work its cardiology department has put in over the years.

"Perhaps there's been no one-month period more exciting than this month," Keahey said.

By CINDY V. CULP Tribune-Herald staff writer