State-of-the-Art equipment and expertise knowledge provide added benefit to patients

(Alliston, Ontario - November 4, 2010) Local residents requiring high-quality cardiac care will no longer have to travel away from their community now that Stevenson Memorial Hospital has expanded its breadth of cardiology services. Adding to a long list of recent program enhancements over the past couple years, Stevenson recently purchased a top-of-the-line echocardiogram machine, used to perform diagnostic evaluations of a patient’s heart function, and recruited the expertise of a highly skilled Cardiologist, Dr. Peter Zeman. The combination of top-of-the-line equipment and expertise knowledge means patients now have access to important, life-saving cardiac services closer to home, where they need it most.    

“As part of our ongoing commitment to enhance the level of healthcare services offered to our community, enhancing the availability of cardiac testing was a priority for us,” said Gary Ryan, President and CEO, Stevenson Memorial Hospital. “The addition of Dr. Zeman brings a level of experience and expertise that we’ve never been able to offer before.”

The Echocardiogram Machine purchased by Stevenson is the latest generation of technology from General Electric. It provides shaper images and more diagnostic options than previous versions.

Previously, echocardiogram services were offered at Stevenson through a third-party provider. Now, echocardiogram testing is conducted on-site and patient reports are read and analyzed by Dr. Zeman. As a result, patients can expect the highest level of cardiac care available.

Dr. Zeman graduated from medicine and completed his residency in internal medicine at Queen’s University. He completed a fellowship in cardiology at the University of Western Ontario, followed by a fellowship in advanced cardiac imaging at the Washington Hospital Centre, Washington, D.C. Affiliated with the Regional Cardiac Care Program at Newmarket’s Southlake Regional Health Centre, Dr. Zeman brings with him an extensive range of experience in the treatment and diagnosis of cardiac ailments. His focus at Stevenson will be stress testing and cardiology consultations to patients.

“The enhanced cardiology services at Stevenson have immense benefits for the community,” said Dr. Zeman, Cardiologist, Stevenson Memorial Hospital. “Patients now have access to rapid and more definitive diagnoses to many common cardiac conditions, such as heart attacks, valve disorders, and heart muscle diseases. The addition of the echocardiogram machine, as well as on-site cardiology consultation, means we now have the ability to offer excellent cardiac care to those with serious heart conditions by providing them with appropriate treatment more quickly than ever before.”

In addition to treating patients with existing heart conditions, physicians can also refer high-risk patients to the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at Stevenson. High-risk patients are those who have risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease. The risk factors include diabetes or glucose intolerance, hypertension, Dyslipidemia, smoking, obesity, and family history.

The wait time for an echocardiogram test at Stevenson is approximately two to three weeks. Generally, patients can expect a quick turn-around time in terms of receiving their results following testing. Once the results have been reviewed by the Cardiologist, the appropriate course of action is determined.

The addition of enhanced cardiology services is part of the hospital’s ongoing commitment to increase the availability of in-patient and out-patient diagnostic services.