News FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 17, 2013 MEDIA CONTACT: Stephanie Poyant Public Information Officer Southcoast Health System Office: 508-973-5280 Cell: 774-634-1460 poyants@southcoast.org www.southcoast.org/news/releases/ Cardiac Electrophysiologists Arnoldas Giedrimas, MD, and Nitesh A. Sood, MD, join Southcoast Cardiology NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Southcoast® Health System announced today that cardiac electrophysiologists Arnoldas Giedrimas, MD, and Nitesh A. Sood, MD, have joined Southcoast Cardiology, one of the largest networks in the region with an experienced team of more than 30 cardiologists from Warwick, R.I. to Wareham. Arnoldas Giedrimas, MD Dr. Giedrimas is a graduate of Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. and the University of Connecticut School of Medicine in Farmington, Conn. He completed a residency in internal medicine at the Beth Israel Deaconess Center of Harvard University in Boston, where he served as clinical fellow in medicine at the Harvard Medical School. In addition, Dr. Giedrimas completed fellowships in cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University in Providence, R.I., where he currently serves as a clinical assistant professor in medicine. His special interests include management of atrial arrhythmias, catheter ablation and cardiac resynchronization therapy. Dr. Giedrimas is board certified in internal medicine, cardiology, and electrophysiology. He currently resides in Providence, R.I. Dr. Giedrimas is accepting new patients and will see patients at Southcoast Cardiology, 1076 North Main Street in Providence, R.I., and at 400 Bald Hill Road, Suite 524, in Warwick., R.I. To make an appointment in Providence, R.I., call 401-273-2460. To make an appointment in Warwick, R.I., call 401-737-7313. Nitesh A. Sood, MD Dr. Sood is a graduate of the Government Medical School in Nagpur, India. He completed medical school clinical electives and a research fellowship at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., as well as an internship and residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in cardiology at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, Conn. Dr. Sood also completed a fellowship in electrophysiology at the Lahey Clinic and Medical Center, a teaching hospital of Tufts University, in Burlington. In 2012, Dr. Sood was selected as “Star Fellow”, “Fellow Elite in Training”, and “Young Investigator of the year” by the American College of Cardiology (ACC). Dr. Sood specializes in the field of electrophysiology and has special interest in the treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation, syncope, and the implantation of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators. He is board certified in internal medicine and holds certifications in echocardiography, nuclear medicine, and cardiovascular disease. Dr. Sood currently resides in Cambridge with his wife. Dr. Sood will see patients at Southcoast Cardiology at Charlton Memorial Hospital, 363 Highland Avenue in Fall River. For more information, call 508-679-7328. About Southcoast Cardiovascular Services Southcoast is the leader for cardiac services in the region. The Southcoast Cardiovascular Service program provides a broad spectrum of cardiovascular services locally, including open heart procedures, cardiac catheterizations, coronary angioplasty and cardiac implantable devices. Southcoast performs more cardiac catheterizations than any other community hospital system in Massachusetts, with approximately 60 percent of patients needing advanced treatment such as coronary artery bypass or angioplasty. Southcoast’s state-of-the-art Electrophysiology Laboratories at Charlton Memorial Hospital provides diagnostic testing for cardiac arrhythmias as well as invasive electrophysiology procedures such as arrhythmia ablations. Southcoast’s heart program continues to grow with an astounding 30 area cardiologists. “Our number one priority is to provide well-coordinated, high-quality care to all of our patients," said Margaret Ferrell, MD, Physician-in-Chief for Cardiac Services. “The success of the Southcoast heart program is credited to the highly skilled team of cardiologists, surgeons and health care professionals at our three hospital sites. It is their 24 hours, 7 days a week dedication and the commitment by Southcoast to invest in the latest technology, equipment and state-of-the-art facilities that enables us to rank among the best in the country.” Southcoast performed the first open heart surgery in Southeastern Massachusetts in April 2002, bringing the lifesaving procedure to a region with the state’s highest incidence of heart disease. Southcoast was the first of three community hospitals approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to offer open heart surgery and elective coronary angioplasty at its Charlton Memorial Hospital site in Fall River. Southcoast’s cardiac surgery program has brought unprecedented access to advanced cardiac services to the region and has received exemplary reviews and outstanding patient satisfaction since its inception including ranking as one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for heart care by Healthgrades®, the nation’s leading, independent source of physician information and hospital quality ratings. Healthgrades awarded Southcoast its Specialty Excellence Award for Overall Cardiac Services, Cardiac Surgery and Coronary Interventional Procedures. “The Healthgrades rankings are an exceptional accomplishment for our cardiac program and a testament to our physicians, surgeons, nurses and health care providers who are saving lives every day,” said Laurie Mulgrew, Vice President of Clinical Services for Cardiovascular Care & Imaging. “Patients who receive their cardiac care at a Southcoast hospital can rest assured they are receiving their care at one of the top heart hospitals in the U.S.” The 14th Annual Healthgrades Hospital Quality in America Study analyzes tens of millions of patients’ outcomes — specifically, mortality and complication rates — at the nation’s 5,000 hospitals. Healthgrades’ 2012 clinical achievements for Southcoast Hospitals included being a recipient of the Healthgrades Cardiac Care Excellence Award™ for six years in a row and a recipient of the Healthgrades Cardiac Surgery Excellence Award™. For more information about Southcoast Cardiovascular Services, visit www.southcoast.org/heart/. About Southcoast Health System & Southcoast Hospitals Group Southcoast Health System is a community based health delivery system with multiple access points, offering an integrated continuum of health services throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and East Bay, Rhode Island. It includes the three hospitals that make up Southcoast Hospitals Group — Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford and Tobey Hospital in Wareham. Southcoast provides advanced clinical services, such as open heart surgery, angioplasty and heart rhythm services, comprehensive cancer care, neurosurgery, weight loss surgery, orthopedic surgery, advanced imaging services and is the only provider of maternity services in the region. Southcoast is a not-for-profit charitable organization that depends on the support of the community to provide services. More information is available online at www.southcoast.org. Connect to Southcoast through social media at www.southcoast.org/connect/. Southcoast® is a registered trademark of Southcoast Health System Inc. ### PHOTOS ATTACHED