Mercy Hospital Opens New Heart Center

MINNEAPOLIS, April 5 /PRNewswire/ --

WHAT: The $40 million expansion of the Mercy Heart Center reaches a significant milestone Tuesday as cardiologists and medical teams perform some of the first procedures in Minnesota's most technologically advanced cath labs. The new cath lab suites are part of a major expansion of The Cardiac Centers of Mercy & Unity Hospitals scheduled to be completed in June. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000407/ALLINAHCLOGO ) VISUALS: Cath lab simulations of new technology and actual procedures will be available to film and photograph. Catheterization laboratories, or cath labs, are specially-equipped rooms where doctors perform a vast array of minimally invasive procedures to diagnose and treat a variety of cardiovascular diseases. INTERVIEW: Dr. Stephen Remole, medical director of The Cardiac Centers Philip Patterson, vice president of cardiology, Mercy & Unity Hospitals WHEN: Tuesday, April 6, 2004, from 11 - 1 p.m. (Alternate times available upon request.) WHERE: Mercy Hospital 4050 Coon Rapids Blvd Mercy Heart Center Park in the Heart Center lot. Enter code 1-2-3 to enter. BACKGROUND: The Cardiac Centers performed over 60,000 cardiac procedures in 2003 and is recognized as a regional leader in cardiovascular services. The program was named one of the top 100 cardiac programs in the nation by Solucient. U.S. News and World Report cited the hospital as one of the top 50 in the nation for respiratory care.

CONTACT: Vince Rivard of Mercy Hospital, +1-763-236-3777, or pager,+1-612-654-8769

Web site: http://www.allina.com/