Areas of Excellence

Frankel CVC specialists in all areas of cardiovascular care work collaboratively across U-M Health and the greater medical community to provide the most advanced treatment options for patients. Here are a few more of the many innovative services we offer. For every one of our programs, our goal is to interact closely with referring physicians as we provide specialty treatment options and services for your patients, with a seamless transition back to your care.

Adult Congenital Heart Disease

The Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) Program is accredited as a Comprehensive Care Center by the Adult Congenital Heart Association — the first program in Michigan to earn this distinction. Accreditation recognizes the program as a leader in the field and a provider of the highest quality care for ACHD patients.

Our dedicated team includes three adult congenital cardiologists, with over 30 years of combined clinical expertise, coupled with specially trained advanced practice providers and nurse clinicians. The ACHD team partners with specialists in congenital heart imaging, electrophysiology, minimally invasive catheterization, and cardiothoracic congenital surgery to ensure seamless, wrap-around care. We are highly experienced in transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement, and able to offer multiple options for the treatment of severe pulmonary valve regurgitation. Our program also works closely with the U-M Health cardio-obstetrics program to care for pregnant women with congenital heart disease.

Our program is one of few across the country to offer an ACGME-accredited University of Michigan Adult Congenital Heart Disease Fellowship to train the next generation of board-certified ACHD specialists. The twoyear fellowship program is a collaboration between the Frankel CVC and the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.

Frankel Cvc Achd Program Covers The State Of Michigan

WITH LOCATIONS IN ANN ARBOR, KALAMAZOO, LANSING, MARQUETTE, PETOSKEY, TRAVERSE CITY, AND GRAND RAPIDS

Cardiac Anesthesia

At the Frankel CVC, cardiac anesthesiologists provide care in procedural areas and the intensive care unit. Our fellowship-trained cardiac anesthesiologists with board certification in perioperative echocardiography are a vital part of the team for all interventional and surgical procedures. With the highest degree of training and expertise in critical care anesthesiology, the team of intensivists provides 24-hour in-house coverage in the cardiovascular surgical ICU.

Cardiac anesthesiologists provide care for complex cardiac, vascular, and thoracic surgical cases as well as structural heart procedures. The team collaborates with the echocardiography lab, providing anesthesia and imaging care for patients undergoing transesophageal echocardiograms, and the cardio-obstetrics clinic, leading anesthesia planning for delivery.

Members of the Frankel CVC anesthesiology program lead statewide quality improvement efforts as members of the Multi-center Perioperative Outcomes Group (MPOG) and its peer-review subgroup ASPIRE, a BCBS of Michigan Collaborative Quality Initiative.

CARDIO-OBSTETRICS

The Cardio-Obstetrics Program is a leading referral center, caring for high-risk patients throughout Michigan. The program combines the expertise of cardiologists, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, and anesthesiologists to provide wrap-around care to achieve optimal birth outcomes.

The team specializes in the full spectrum of cardiovascular conditions and partners with patients and referring providers to create personalized plans for care during pregnancy, labor, and birth, and during the postpartum period. With a Level III NICU, expertise in adult congenital heart disease, and a combined clinical space for both obstetrics and cardiology appointments, the Frankel CVC delivers top-tier care for the entire spectrum of heart disease to mothers and babies. We offer pre-conception and contraception counseling for patients who want to understand the risks associated with pregnancy, as well as a remote, virtual blood pressure monitoring program for patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy before and after birth.

We also treat mothers who develop heart disease during pregnancy, including peripartum cardiomyopathy and preeclampsia.

CARDIO-ONCOLOGY

The Frankel CVC’s Cardio-Oncology Clinic is one of only a few in Michigan, and was one of the first in the country to provide comprehensive, coordinated care for cancer patients and cancer survivors. Our team of cardiologists and oncologists work together to optimize patients’ pre-existing heart disease and minimize risk from cancer therapy. We have expertise in the full spectrum of heart and vascular complications related to cancer treatment, including cardiac amyloidosis, carcinoid heart disease, cardiac tumors, and all forms of cardiotoxicity arising from cancer therapeutics. Our goal is to improve the quality of life for cancer patients and eliminate barriers to effective treatment as we support them from diagnosis through survivorship and monitor for late effects.

Our clinic is specially recognized for our pre-bone marrow transplant cardiovascular evaluation, ensuring the safety of patients about to undergo therapy. We also have rare expertise in the management of immune-checkpoint inhibitor myocarditis and nationally are one of a limited number of sites participating in the ATRIUM trial.

Our specialists are at the forefront of translational and clinical research and are studying the most effective ways to prevent and predict cardiotoxicity.

Cancer patients suspected of having symptoms related to cardiac issues or those with abnormal cardiac imaging should be seen by an experienced subspecialty team for evaluation.

Genetic Counseling And Testing

The Genetic Counseling and Testing Program is the only program in the state with a dedicated cardiovascular genetics team offering genetic counseling and testing for individuals diagnosed with inherited cardiovascular conditions and their families. Our counselors are available to see adult patients at the Frankel CVC and pediatric patients at the C. S. Mott Children’s Hospital. The program works hand-in-hand with a multidisciplinary team of specialists in cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, aortic disease, heart failure, early-onset coronary artery disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension and other vascular/ arterial diseases.

As leaders in clinical research, we are working to translate our findings into useful clinical information for patients and their families. Our board-certified genetic counselors are available to assist clinicians and to prepare individuals with familial cardiovascular disease for genetic testing, including how testing might impact the patient and family.

Any individual with a family of heart disease — in particular, early-onset heart disease — is encouraged to meet with a genetic counselor experienced in inherited cardiovascular conditions.

Inherited Cardiomyopathies

The Inherited Cardiomyopathies Program specializes in the treatment of all inherited heart muscle conditions. As the only site in Michigan participating in all currently ongoing clinical trials for both obstructive and non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (the most common form of cardiomyopathy), our specialists have been at the forefront of practice-changing advances for managing the disease and developing new drugs that delay its progression

Our multidisciplinary team includes cardiologists, electrophysiologists, and advanced heart failure specialists (both adult and pediatric), genetic counselors, cardiac surgeons, cardiac imaging specialists, exercise physiologists, nutritionists, nurses and advanced practice providers. This approach allows seamless transition of care from pediatric to adult stages and efficient, patientcentered communication.

Our specialists encourage timely referral to a center of excellence to identify and monitor inherited heart conditions in early stages to optimize outcomes.

Recognized As A Center Of Excellence Since 2007

Cardiovascular Nursing

The Frankel CVC nursing team is dedicated to delivering compassionate care, evidencebased practice, and clinical expertise based on the unique needs of every patient served.

U-M Health nurses have achieved Magnet designation for two consecutive cycles, a prestigious distinction that recognizes health care organizations for quality patient care and outcomes, nursing excellence, and innovation in professional nursing practice. Several of our nursing units have earned the Beacon Award for Excellence, recognizing caregivers whose systematic approach to evidence-based care optimizes patient outcomes. Many Frankel CVC nurses have been honored with the Daisy Award which recognizes extraordinary nurses who exemplify excellence through compassionate and persistent patient advocacy and consistent adherence to the highest clinical and ethical standards of the nursing profession.

With the launch of the new RN Answer Line call center, patients have access to expedited care and are triaged by a nurse for immediate symptom management. Virtual platforms such as MPOTA (MiChart Patient Outreach Texting Application) and Conversa, a mobile appbased virtual care and triage platform, keep patients connected to our nurses electronically.

Frankel CVC advanced practice nurses practice at the top of their license, both independently and paired with cardiologists through the General Cardiology Advanced Practice Initiative, a program with has increased patient satisfaction, strengthened APP/physician relationships, and improved efficiency in patient care.

MAGNET AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE CYCLES SINCE 2007

RECOGNITION FOR

Excellence

IN EVIDENCE-BASED CARE THAT BENEFITS PATIENTS

RECOGNITION FOR EXCELLENCE IN COMPASSIONATE PATIENT ADVOCACY AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

Peripheral Artery Disease

The Peripheral Artery Disease Program is a multidisciplinary team of specialists in interventional cardiology, interventional radiology, cardiovascular medicine and vascular surgery. From mild to the most complex cases, our patientdriven program focuses on improving each individual’s quality of life with the most appropriate treatment plan, developed with a long-term, holistic perspective

Several specialists of our team have participated in the writing group for the national PAD guidelines and participate in the American Heart Association PVD Council and PAD Summit. Specialists take an evidencebased approach to patient care, with recommendations for medical therapy before surgical procedures, when appropriate. Approximately 90% of patients are on guideline-directed medication therapy (aspirin, direct oral anticoagulants, and statins), offered smoking cessation assistance and medications and participation in a supervised exercise program. Patients can be referred to our local supervised exercise program or given assistance to establish care with external programs.

We seek to follow guideline-based strategies for revascularization using the newest available devices, such as transradial catheters and devices, atherectomy, drug-eluting balloons, and drug-eluting or covered stents. When necessary, patients are treated with a hybrid revascularization approach involving both open surgical and percutaneous revascularization. The PAD program also collaborates with the U-M Health podiatry and wound clinic teams.

Patients have a strong voice in quality of life research at the Frankel CVC. Patient advisors are actively involved in all clinical trials to ensure they are patient-centered. They are also engaged in the Vascular Quality Initiative “My PAD Pilot Study,” a forum for patients to report their experience and a resource for our team to assess outcomes.

Multidisciplinary Team Of Providers

REVIEWS CHALLENGING CASES FOR BEST TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

96.1% PATIENT SATISFACTION

Same Day Discharge To Home For Endovascular Procedures

Quality In Patient Care

The Frankel CVC is committed to achieving superior, highly reliable patient care. Frankel CVC clinicians have led the Blue Cross Blue Shield Cardiovascular Consortium (BMC2) Percutaneous Coronary Intervention quality improvement initiative since its inception in 1997, making it the longest running value partnership in Michigan

Our clinicians are also integral leaders for all other BCBS cardiovascular collaborative quality initiatives, including:

• BMC2 Vascular Surgery

• Michigan Anticoagulation Quality Improvement Initiative (MAQI2)

• Michigan Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons (MSTCVS) Quality Collaborative

• Michigan Structural Heart Consortium (MISHC)

These CQIs are informed by their associated regional and national registries and create an environment where data transparency facilitates the development of statewide best practices in safety, appropriateness and clinical care quality.

M-LINE: 800-962-3555

Stroke

The U-M Health Comprehensive Stroke Center provides timely, evidencebased and effective acute stroke management 24/7 as well as secondary stroke prevention and recovery. The multidisciplinary team includes specially trained experts in emergency medicine, neurology, neurosurgery, neuro-interventional radiology, neurocritical care, vascular surgery, cardiology, anesthesiology, internal medicine, and physical medicine and rehabilitation.

The Comprehensive Stroke Center has been a Joint Commission Certified Comprehensive Stroke Center since 2014, and its physicians are active in the development of national guidelines for the treatment of stroke. Frankel CVC faculty lead research across race, ethnic, social and gender health disparities in stroke care, and clinical trials that seek to optimize acute stroke intervention and secondary stroke prevention. U-M Health serves as a Regional Coordinating Center for NIH StrokeNet — a nationwide hospital network conducting leading stroke clinical trials.

The center has earned Comprehensive Stroke Center certification by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association in collaboration with the Joint Commission and is consistently recognized for High Performance for Stroke by U.S. News & World Report in its annual rankings.

FY22

Transitions Of Care

Because a patient’s health is most vulnerable in the short term following discharge, Frankel CVC has a number of follow-up options or Bridge Clinics to help patients stay healthy and reduce their risk of readmission

• Within 14 days post-discharge, patients are seen by an advanced practice provider in one of our Bridge Clinics for a thorough medical assessment. This ensures patients are on the correct medications, have access to the necessary cardiovascular resources, fully understand their role in their own care, and have a follow-up appointment scheduled with their cardiologist.

• General cardiology – Patients on medical management receive a call from a LPN three days post-discharge to reconcile medications and ensure follow-up appointments have been scheduled.

• Heart failure patients receive blood pressure cuffs and scales that enable them to check vital signs, weights and fill out a daily symptom survey on a tablet enabled with cell service. Results are reviewed by an RN seven days a week. Post-acute care physicians and advanced practice providers triage patient concerns, manage acute problems, and coordinate with the patient’s cardiologist or primary care provider for 30 days after hospital discharge.

Our data has shown that patients who participate in Bridge Clinics are less at risk for readmission to the hospital or Emergency Department visits over six months than those who do not participate.

Bridge Clinic Patients Often Experience

Readmission Rates

Venous Health

The Venous Health Program is a multidisciplinary, high-volume clinic that offers expert care for the entire spectrum of venous disease provided by vascular surgeons, interventional radiologists, and vascular medicine specialists.

Our highly trained experts treat patients with conditions ranging from superficial to the most complex venous disease. We offer personalized therapies comprising lifestyle changes, compression, medications, and massage in addition to interventional therapies. With over 30 years of experience, the Frankel CVC is a national tertiary referral site for patients requiring recanalization, reconstruction, or stenting of central vein occlusions and other complex procedures. Our collaborative multidisciplinary team also provides comprehensive management of pelvic venous disease

Frankel CVC’s diagnostic vascular laboratory provides state-of-the-art noninvasive venous diagnostic studies including DVT scans, venous reflux scans with perforators for patients with venous ulcerations, pelvic ultrasound for patients with pelvic venous disease, venography, and cross-sectional CT and MR imaging.

We strive to provide patient-centered access to our multidisciplinary expertise closer to home through virtual visits, educational programs for our referring physicians, and services available at locations throughout the region.