Participating physicians (pictured at left) included DMC Heart Hospital President Dr. Theodore Schreiber, Vice President Dr. Cindy Grines, Medical Director of the Cardiac Care Unit and Chief of Cardiology Dr. Mahir Elder, Cardiac Catheterization Lab Medical Director Dr. Amir Kaki, and Dr. Tamam Mohamad, all supported by the expert team of clinicians and technicians of DMC Heart Hospital. The Complete Revascularization of Higher Risk Patients (frequently abbreviated as “CHIP”) program helps educate physicians on advanced treatment of left main disease, chronic total occlusions, long lesions, bifurcation lesions, “small vessels,” and saphenous vein grafts. In addition, participants learn how to manage challenging patient groups, such as those with advanced heart failure.
DMC provided four live complex cases; traditionally, most only do one or two live cases. The cases are displayed via live video feed from the cardiac catheterization lab to the education room. This course educated interventional physicians on an option for patients that are too sick for surgery or refuse surgery. Offering advanced educational courses like these helps move DMC toward a “Top 15 Hospital” level, by increasing our reputation among expert physicians across the nation. It increases our own clinical excellence by extending our level of effective care to more advanced heart failure patients.