FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 13, 2012
For more information contact:
Kelly Barbeau
St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Marketing Specialist
618-234-2120, x1270
New testing area provides ongoing convenience and
quality heart care at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital
Cardiovascular Outpatient Testing services opened
Belleville, Illinois - In its ongoing commitment to delivering quality and convenient outpatient
services to the community, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital has announced the opening of a new
Cardiovascular Outpatient Testing center in Suite 403 of the Southern Illinois Heart Institute
Building at 340 West Lincoln Street. The clinic will be open to patients for appointments
beginning on February 7.
The newly opened space offers comprehensive cardiac diagnostic services to help
diagnose heart problems and identify the best course of treatments. Tests include
echocardiography, stress testing, stress echoes, and nuclear stress testing for patients 18
years or older.
According to Bonnie Schnieder MS RT, Heart and Vascular Services Manager, “The
outpatient center provides patients a convenient and comfortable location for testing with
highly qualified and experienced staff to manage their outcomes.”
The Cardiovascular Outpatient Testing center is proud to have an accredited echo and
nuclear department. Accreditation is granted by the Intersocietal Commission of the
Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories (ICAEL) and Nuclear Laboratories (ICANL),
which recognizes the highest quality of patient care and diagnostic testing.
About the tests:
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
Echocardiograms: Echocardiograms are used to detect abnormalities of the heart
chambers and valves, murmurs, wall motion of the ventricle and possibly fluid
surrounding the heart. During this test, sound waves are sent through a device called
a transducer. Through the transducer, moving images of the heart are then displayed
on a TV-like screen and then downloaded to a computer for the physician to view
later.

Stress echoes: A stress echocardiogram is usually done to rule out coronary artery
disease. To complete this test, an echocardiogram is conducted before and after the
patient’s heart rate is increased by walking vigorously on a treadmill. When
performed at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, the test results are always evaluated by a
qualified physician.

Nuclear stress testing: This test helps determine how your heart works during
physical activity. As your body works during any physical exertion, it requires more
oxygen and energy. To meet this demand, the heart beats faster and harder. The
stress test shows if your heart receives enough blood from its own arteries to work
harder, safely.

Stress Test (treadmill) - A stress test is an exercise test that allows a doctor to
watch your heart with activity. A cardiovascular nurse or technologist and a doctor
will monitor your heartbeat and blood pressure during the test.
St. Elizabeth’s Hospital performs more than 3,200 diagnostic and interventional
procedures in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab each year. In addition, over 50,000 cardiac
cath and coronary angioplasty procedures have been done since opening the cath lab in
1986. In 2007, the state-of-the-art Heart and Vascular Center added an endovascular lab at
the hospital to treat patients for vascular diseases and is accredited by the Intersocietal
Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL). The Center offers
residents of southern Illinois up-to-date technological advances in the field of cardiac and
vascular medicine. Other services include implantation of pacemakers and defibrillators,
stent placement, and electrophysiology studies and ablations.
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About Hospital Sisters Health System: Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) is a multiinstitutional health care system that sponsors 13 hospitals in 12 communities across Illinois and
Wisconsin and an integrated physician network. As our name implies, we are a healing ministry
guided by the historic mission of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis. At the same time, we are firmly
grounded in modern best practices. Learn more by visiting www.hshs.org.
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