Making Room for Heart Health
The Addition of a Dedicated Stress Echo Space Reduces Wait Times for Patients
A new stress echocardiogram (echo) space is enhancing patient care and healthcare efficiency at Vail Health’s Cardiovascular Center. The new space features advanced testing equipment and facilities for better and more timely care.
A stress echo test assesses how the heart responds to stress when it is medically induced or caused by activities that raise the heart rate such as walking or jogging on a treadmill. Previously, with only one set of equipment and two staff members, the facility could perform a single stress test at a time. Delays were inevitable as patients awaited their turn.
The new space enables a patient to undergo a stress echo test in one room while another patient is being prepared for a test in the second room at the same time. This change notably increases throughput volume and reduces waiting times for patients.
Additionally, two state-of-the-art echo ultrasound machines were acquired. “The new machines have improved our ability to interpret results with higher accuracy,” says cardiologist Dr. Nelson Prager. “Stress echocardiograms are vital in assessing heart health and are now conducted with greater ease and precision.”
