LRMC: Celebrating 15 years of open-heart surgery

In the late 1990s, there was a great need in the community for open-heart surgery. Up to that point, patients requiring cardio-thoracic surgery had to travel to larger cities.

This need became a reality in November 1998 when the fi rst open-heart surgery was successfully performed at Leesburg Regional Medical Center (LRMC). Since that time, advances in technology and techniques have allowed for new, cutting-edge heart procedures to be utilized at the hospital, and as a result, patients are receiving both excellent care and outstanding surgical outcomes. LRMC is home to the second-largest open heart program in Florida.

None of this would be possible without the dedicated doctors, nurses, surgical staff, and intensive care unit (ICU) at LRMC. Another reason for the program’s success stems from the talented team of cardio-thoracic surgeons at Ocala Leesburg Heart Institute, which includes Dr. Robert Richardson, Dr. Duane Cook, and Dr. Tim Moore.

“At our practice, we feel fortunate to have a great partnership with LRMC because it offers an outstanding group of nurses and a great operating room staff,” Dr. Moore says. “This is why we can perform around 700 surgeries each year.”

According to Dr. Moore, the open-heart program has evolved throughout the years. He and his colleagues are now offering valvular surgeries, mitral valve repair, minimally invasive valve surgery, the Maze procedure for atrial fibrillation, and transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

“We also perform high-risk surgeries on patients who are turned away elsewhere,” Dr. Moore says. “One of the reasons for our success is our team sits down on a daily basis and discusses our patients. Therefore, everyone knows what is going on with my patients and vice versa. The continuity of care is always there.”

Sharon Franklin has spent the past 11 years as a charge nurse who oversees the care of cardiac patients inside the operating room. She says LRMC’s outstanding outcomes reflect the performance of the entire surgical staff.

“The team of surgeons, nurses, scrub techs, physician’s assistants, and paramedics display incredible teamwork during each procedure,” she says. “Each of them has honed their skills over the years and play off each other’s strengths. Some of them have been in open-heart surgery programs for more than 25 years. “

After surgery, a team of cardiothoracic surgeons and highly trained nurses carefully monitor patients’ progress and continue providing excellent care throughout the duration of their stay.

To fi nd a board-certified cardiologist at Leesburg Regional Medical Center, call 352.323.1000.