February 24, 2004

Seal Of Approval

Genesis Medical Center Receives State Approval For Additional Cath Labs

Davenport, IA - The State of Iowa has given Genesis Medical Center the go ahead to build two new cardiac catheterization labs (or cath labs) at the Medical Center's East campus. Today's approval came immediately after Genesis administrators and physicians from Cardiovascular Medicine, P.C. presented the community's need to the State's Certificate of Need (CON) Board in Des Moines.

"What most people don't realize is that there are more cardiovascular procedures done here at Genesis then at any other hospital in Iowa," said Bob Travis, Vice President of Strategic Development. "In fact, our program is ranked as the 21st largest interventional heart program in the U.S. We do more cardiac procedures at Genesis than are done at the Mayo Clinic" adds Travis.

"The addition of these new cath labs will help us continue to meet this growing need while at the same time providing our physicians and staff with the resources and equipment they need to do their job efficiently."

With state approval, Genesis can now begin the $4.4 million project. The project will include the purchase of two new, state-of-the-art cath labs, and renovation to accommodate the equipment. The project is expected to be complete in September.

"This is the type of growth we want in the Quad Cities," says Travis. "Medicine represents high paying jobs, environmentally clean industry and improvements in the regions' quality of life. Business and industry can more readily attract employees to cities with good schools and good medical care. We want people to come here for their medical care, and we want to keep bringing highly trained medical staff to the Quad Cities."

In 2003, heart specialists at Genesis Medical Center performed 374 open-heart procedures, 4,148 heart catheterizations and 1,278 procedures on patients with abnormal heart rhythms.