From state-of-the-art facilities, a range of services, and skilled, board-certified cardiologists and allied health professionals, Mount Nittany Health checks off all boxes of a robust cardiology treatment program.
Mount Nittany Health Cardiology’s uniqueness is its several practices working together to provide comprehensive cardiology care. Beyond general cardiology, there is the heart failure program, interventional cardiology, electrophysiology studies (EPS), and catheter ablation, as well as the Vein and Vascular Clinic, which opened in 2020 and offers a comprehensive evaluation of vascular conditions, including peripheral arterial disease (PAD), renal arterial disease and chronic venous insufficiency. The Cardiovascular Pavilion at Mount Nittany Medical Center, which opened in September 2019, performs advanced cardiology services.
Mount Nittany Health’s cardiology services have been recognized by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association with the Stroke Gold Plus Award and Stroke Elite, as well as Cardiovascular Excellence.
Skilled, board-certified cardiologists at Mount Nittany Health have extensive experience in diagnosing, treating, and managing heart ailments of all types. They use state-of-the-art invasive and non-invasive techniques to treat patients with various heart conditions. From early diagnosis of heart disease through interventional cardiology and rehabilitation, Mount Nittany Health has become a high-quality and comprehensive cardiovascular program.
The cardiology team also treats patients to prevent cardiac events. Mount Nittany Health offers non-invasive tests to assess heart function and to avoid heart disease onset. Skilled physicians also guide patients toward lifestyle choices that improve their long-term heart health.
The heart failure program offered at Mount Nittany Health is crucial in getting patients back on track to heart-healthy lifestyles.
“When patients are initially diagnosed with heart failure, it can be extremely overwhelming,” said Jen Illig, PA-C, Mount Nittany Health Cardiology. “Our goal with the heart failure program is to break this down and make sure our patients have a clear understanding of their disease process. We then work together to develop a care plan to best manage it while improving their quality of life.”
Illig’s focus in the heart failure program is to ensure patients with a heart failure diagnosis are provided with the necessary education and management techniques to prevent future decompensations and reduce heart failure hospitalizations.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to see my patients initially while they are hospitalized and assist with the transition to the outpatient setting,” said Illig. “Having a smooth handoff and a familiar face can make all the difference when working to build a strong patient/provider relationship, which in my opinion is key to successfully managing chronic disease.”
Mount Nittany Health’s cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation program helps patients recover and lead normal lives even after a cardiac event. The cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation program received a certification from the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation that recognized Mount Nittany Medical Center’s commitment to improving patients’ quality of life by enhancing standards of care. The services offered by Mount Nittany Health’s Cardiac Imaging Department are equally impressive, which recently received echocardiography reaccreditation from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC).
“It’s exciting to see the developments in heart failure over the last 10-20 years,” said Illig. “There are more options now than ever before and that is great news for our patients and local community.”