For nearly fifty years, St. Joseph’s Medical Center has been paving the path to heart wellness in San Joaquin County.
Recognized as having one of the top 10 programs in California for heart surgery, St. Joseph’s has continued its tireless efforts to provide premier heart care, right here in Stockton.
“St. Joseph’s has a long legacy of excellence in cardiac services,” says Don Wiley, Hospital President and CEO. “Right here at St. Joseph’s, our community has a high volume, high quality cardiac surgery program with a strong track record and a history of ‘firsts’ in advancements. We’re proud to be the hospital most doctors and patients in our community choose for heart surgery. But not only do patients in our community choose St. Joseph’s, over 30% of the patients that have open heart surgery at our hospital come from outside the community, and some even come from other countries.”
St. Joseph’s performed the area’s first open heart surgery in the 1970s, and to date, has performed well over 13,000 open heart procedures. When it comes to cardiac surgery, research shows that having higher volumes increases patient safety, quality, and outcomes.
With the 1990s, St. Joseph’s introduced a wave of new technology, tools, and procedures that included beating heart open heart surgery, rotoblation, and the use of carotid stents. In 1994, St. Joseph’s opened a new 30,000 square foot Heart & Vascular Institute that today houses its three cardiac catherization labs, two open heart surgery rooms, and a cardiac hybrid suite.
From the year 2000 and beyond, St. Joseph’s debuted complex aortic surgeries, stent grafting, endoscopic vein harvests, minimally invasive thoracic surgery, and valve surgery.
In 2016, St. Joseph’s opened the area’s first and only cardiac hybrid suite and began offering advanced procedures including transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), giving new hope to some individuals considered too risky for traditional valve replacement surgery. St. Joseph’s was also among the first in Northern California to offer the Micra TPS, also known as the world’s smallest pacemaker in early 2017.
Their constant commitment to excellence is showcased in the many awards the Institute continues to garner, rated as one of Healthgrades America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Vascular Surgery, and a five-star recipient for carotid surgery seven-years running. As a result of St. Joseph’s distinction in the field, they are a designated STEMI Heart Attack & Stroke Receiving Center, and a Blue Distinction Center for cardiac care. St. Joseph’s is also a recipient of the American Heart Association’s achievement awards for both stroke and heart attack care.
St. Joseph’s also has a robust Cardiac Research program, being involved in over 75 cardiac research studies in the past two decades, including the groundbreaking CREST research trial for comparing carotid stenting to open surgery. Impressively, St. Joseph’s was the only hospital in all of Northern California selected to participate in the CREST cardiac research study due to their experience and outcomes in carotid stenting.
“St. Joseph’s is proud to be a leader in cardiac care and research, continually bringing new and innovative technology to our patients, and truly elevating the level of care available in our community,” says Joann Marks, MSN, RN, director of Cardiovascular Services for St. Joseph’ s.
Contact St. Joseph’s Heart Patient Navigator to learn more, ask your heart related questions and schedule an on-site tour of their Heart & Vascular Institute.
For More Information:
St. Joseph’s Medical Center
1800 N. California St., Stockton
(209) 943-2000
DignityHealth.org