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Marian Regional Creates First and Only Electrophysiology Program for Northern Santa Barbara County

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Marian Regional Medical Center (MRMC) which along with Arroyo Grande Community Hospital (AGCH) and French Hospital Medical Center (FHMC), are Dignity Health's Central Coast hospitals, is pleased to introduce Northern Santa Barbara County's first and only Electrophysiology (EP) Program at the growing Marian Heart Center.

EP is the science of diagnosing and treating the electrical activities of the heart, or heart rhythm disorders.  Physicians specializing in EP treat irregular heartbeats that are the result of abnormal electrical impulses that cause the heart to beat too quickly, slowly or irregularly.  Cardiac EP services have been incorporated into a new MRMC cardiac catheterization lab within our growing Marian Heart Center, which has been equipped with world class technology and will provide leading-edge cardiac rhythm management capabilities. With the addition of EP, health care staff and physicians will be able to diagnose and care for ailments such as atrial fibrillation, the most common type of heart arrhythmia. The Marian Heart Center now includes two innovative cardiac cath labs that provide emergent and non-emergent heart care services.      

With the announcement of the EP program, MRMC welcomes Brett Gidney, MD, FACC, FHRS.  Dr. Gidney is Board Certified in Cardiovascular Diseases and sub-specializes in Electrophysiology. He has been appointed Medical Director of the MRMC Electrophysiology Program.

“As a Cardiac Electrophysiologist, I am able to diagnose and treat abnormal heart rhythm disturbances so that our patients can return to a healthy and active life,” said Dr. Gidney, Marian Heart Center’s newest physician. “I am proud to join Marian Regional Medical Center and their cardiac care commitment to Northern Santa Barbara County by providing EP services with the latest technology within their growing Marian Heart Center.”

MRMC’s EP Program and new cardiac catheterization lab work alongside FHMC and their cardiac care team to provide advanced heart care to the Greater Central Coast community. French Hospital began their EP services in 2014 and is still the only hospital to provide such advanced heard care services in SLO County.

About Marian Regional Medical Center

Marian Regional Medical Center, located in Santa Maria, California, is rated among the top 10% in the nation for cardiac care, and is a designated STEMI Receiving Center (ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction) in Santa Barbara County.  Santa Barbara County STEMI receiving programs earned the Silver Award from the American Heart Association for excellence in patient care. Marian has achieved prestigious designation as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission. In addition, Marian has received the Healthgrades Distinguished Hospital Clinical Excellence Award. The medical center’s cancer program is distinguished as the only comprehensive Community Cancer Center on the Central Coast.  The need to meet the demand for quality, technologically-advanced care for a growing community led Marian to open its doors to a new state-of-the-art, 191-bed facility in the spring of 2012.  The new facility houses the largest and most comprehensive perinatology/neonatology program on the Central Coast providing the most compassionate, quality care to the littlest of patients. Marian is a Dignity Health member of the Central Coast, which also includes Arroyo Grande Community Hospital in Arroyo Grande, CA and French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, CA, St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, CA and St. John’s Pleasant Valley in Camarillo, CA. Dignity Health of the Central Coast is an integrated network of top quality hospitals, physicians from the most prestigious medical schools, and comprehensive outpatient services including primary care offices, premier ambulatory surgery centers, technologically-advanced laboratories and imaging centers and a full service home health agency; all recognized for quality, safety and service.  Each hospital is supported by an active philanthropic Foundation to help meet the growing health care needs of our communities.

Publish date: 

Thursday, July 28, 2016