Previously, patients in the area would have to travel to Springfield, Ill., or another community for this procedure and follow-up care.
Kimberly Paskiewicz, system administrator for specialty services at DMH, said in the report that adding the procedure will cut down on the average wait time by nearly 30 days. Since the first procedure in July, Dr. Lim has performed more than 20 additional atrial fibrillation ablations. It is often used in patients who do not respond to medication for AFib.
“Atrial fibrillation is a very common condition nationwide and in the Decatur area,” said Ms. Paskiewicz, system administrator for specialty services at Memorial Health. “In the past, hundreds of patients each year were referred to out-of-town hospitals for the procedures they needed to treat it. Now, patients can have the peace of mind of staying close to home.”