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Columbia St. Mary’s Ozaukee Offers Comprehensive Cardiac Care

with Robert Huxley, M.D., Interventional Cardiologist, Columbia St. Mary’s

Posted: Feb. 1, 2006

Residents of Mequon and nearby communities can now benefit from a new, full-service cardiovascular care program that was implemented last October at Columbia St. Mary’s Ozaukee Hospital. The expanded program, created in response to a need for these services in Ozaukee County, involves a new heart surgery facility and two new catheterization labs, all staffed by the expert, nationally recognized Columbia St. Mary’s heart team.

“In Mequon we had always provided emergency cardiovascular care, intensive care and cardiovascular rehabilitation services,” said Robert Huxley, M.D., an interventional cardiologist. “But patients coming to our emergency room while having a heart attack had to be transferred to one of our east side campuses to undergo catheterization to open up their arteries. That wasn’t ideal because of the time it took to transport them there. We can better care for our cardiac patients if we provide them with a quick and effective response.”

In late 2004, the hospital began plans to implement a full-service program at the Ozaukee location. “The objective of the expanded program was to save critical time for a patient who needed immediate cardiac care,” Dr. Huxley explained. “The longer an affected artery is closed, the more heart muscle damage can occur.”

The two new catheterization labs provide diagnostic cardiac catheterizations along with angioplasty and stent procedures. “The cath labs and full cardiovascular care work hand in hand,” he said, “since the conditions discovered through catheterization often lead to heart surgery.”

In October 2005, the facility was equipped to perform heart bypass and valve surgery. “Any heart surgery can be done here now,” Dr. Huxley said.

Patients in Ozaukee County facing surgery appreciate having the facility in their community. They can receive all cardiovascular services without the need to transfer to one of Columbia St. Mary’s Milwaukee hospitals. “It’s convenient because they don’t have to travel miles to our other facilities. That’s especially important for our older patients and their families,” Dr. Huxley said.

Columbia St. Mary’s projects significant growth in heart surgery, cardiac catheterizations and interventional procedures at the Ozaukee campus over the next five years, according to Tom Dohmeier, executive director of cardiovascular services. “It will be easier for primary care physicians in this area to follow their patients who are admitted for cardiovascular care,” he added.

According to Dr. Huxley, “Columbia St. Mary’s is committed to providing the same comprehensive cardiovascular care services at the Mequon and Milwaukee sites, delivered by the same staff of nationally recognized heart specialists.”


Robert Huxley, M.D.
Wisconsin Cardiovascular Group
13133 North Port Washington Road, #202
Mequon, WI 53097
(262) 243-5850

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