Cardiology

VA St Louis Healthcare System's cardiology team has performed the hospital's first implants of the new Watchman FLX Pro left atrial appendage closure device.

Tallahassee (Fla.) Memorial HealthCare's Panama City Beach, Fla.-based medical office building is adding cardiology and pulmonary care, according to a Sept. 22 report from the Panama City News Herald.

Derby, Conn.-based Griffin Hospital has named interventional cardiologist Michael Lee, MD, as chief of cardiology.

Hanimireddy Lakireddy, MD, a cardiologist based in Merced, Calif., is retiring after 50 years, according to a Sept. 19 report from the Merced County Times.

In July, Bernard Lim, MD, performed the first atrial fibrillation ablation procedure ever completed at Decatur (Ill.) Memorial Hospital, NowDecatur.com reported Sept. 12. 

Consolidation has been on the rise across healthcare, and cardiology is no different. 

Birmingham (Ala.) Heart Clinic and Ascension St. Vincent's are partnering to open a cardiovascular ASC on St. Vincent's East Hospital campus in Birmingham, according to a Sept. 15 report from the Birmingham Business Journal.

Nicholas Skiadas, MD, a cardiologist at Ascension St. Vincent's Riverside Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla., has died at 48, according to a Sept. 13 obituary published on Jacksonville.com.

CentraCare-St. Cloud (Minn.) Hospital became the first facility in the state to perform a recently FDA-approved heart procedure, reported KNSI radio station Sept. 13.  

Oregon Heart Center, an independent cardiology practice in Salem, has filed a $15 million antitrust and defamation lawsuit against Salem Health, according to a Sept. 12 report from the Portland Business Journal.