Physicians Regional to launch open-heart surgery program at Pine Ridge campus

Physicians Regional Healthcare System is adding open-heart surgery to its cardiology program in response to demand for the lifesaving procedure, hospital officials announced.

It will provide a second option for open-heart surgery in Collier County.

A multimillion-dollar renovation of nearly 17,000 square feet on the second floor of the Pine Ridge campus in North Naples is expected to take 12 to 18 months to expand the cardiology program.

The renovations will add two operating rooms, three new cardiac catheterization labs, five intensive-care beds and 15 beds for pre-operative and post-operative care.

Scott Lowe, chief executive officer of Physicians Regional, is hosting a demolition ceremony Tuesday with cardiologists to usher in the renovation.

About 30 jobs in direct patient care and support services will be added when the open-heart program begins by mid-2020, Lowe said in an email.

“We have seen substantial cardiology growth over the last three years and engagement of both employed and community-based cardiologists,” he said.

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About 100 patients a year are referred to other hospitals for open-heart surgery, Lowe said.

“By adding the open-heart capabilities, we avoid unnecessary transfers and provide additional options for cardiovascular care in the community,” he said.

“As with most of our service lines, we expect to serve all of Southwest Florida,” Lowe said. “Patients and physicians seek out options for great quality care and certainly preference will be a factor.”

The NCH Healthcare System is the sole provider in Collier of open-heart surgery since 1996 at its Baker Hospital Downtown.

The team performs more than 450 open-heart surgeries annually, NCH spokeswoman Debbie Curry said in an email.

Once Physicians Regional debuts its program, Curry said it will no longer refer patients to NCH. She declined to say whether growth in the community has created enough demand for a second program.

“NCH supports and values all quality-driven medical services and providers that enhance the health and well-being of our community,” she said.

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The Collier County Medical Society is pleased to see the expansion of advanced medical care in the community and looks forward to working with Physicians Regional, said Dr. Cesar De Leon, president of the medical society.

"With the rapid population increase in our community, it is imperative to offer high-quality and efficient medical care at both of our hospital systems," De Leon said.

Physicians Regional has a second hospital campus at Collier Boulevard in East Naples. Offering open-heart at the Pine Ridge location will help maintain loyalties among patients who live in East Naples.

“If you are in the system of Physicians Regional, it’s a way to stay in the system,” said Jessica Short, executive director of The Arlington of Naples, a retirement community near the Collier Boulevard campus.

Open-heart surgery in Lee County is available at HealthPark Medical Center, part of Lee Health, and it performs 1,000 open-heart procedures annually.

Dr. Brian Hummel, cardiothoracic surgeon at HealthPark, said his team welcomes projects that expand access to health care in the region.

“Competition encourages us to continue to sharpen our skills and improve our services,” Hummel said.

Lowe said he has spoken to heart surgeons from both NCH and Lee Health and has received the blessings of both administrations.

“We hope to find ways to be collaborate with the primary goal of offering high-quality services to the communities we serve,” he said.

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Patients who have had open-heart surgery typically stay nine days after the procedure at either HealthPark or NCH Downtown, according to the Agency for Healthcare Administration.

Charges range from $132,000 to $185,000 for the surgery at NCH, and $145,000 to $196,000 at HealthPark, state records for 2018 show.

Physicians Regional expects to launch the program in the first half of 2020. A minimum of two surgeons will be needed, and Physicians Regional is recruiting, Lowe said.

“We are looking at multiple options to bring the best physician support to the program,” he said.

It’s possible local cardiac surgeons will be retained, or surgeons from outside the region will be recruited, Lowe said.