COLUMBUS -- The Ohio State University Board of Trustees gave approval today (7/7) for the OSU Medical Center to proceed with design plans for a heart hospital adjacent to Ohio State's new heart and lung research facility. The proposed hospital would add an enhanced clinical component to the University's widely respected cardiac research and treatment programs.

"The addition of the proposed heart hospital puts the final piece in place for the OSU Heart Center," said William E. Kirwan, president of The Ohio State University. "This new hospital, together with the OSU Heart and Lung Institute, would provide a unique combination of expertise - leading edge research that can be immediately used within a patient care environment," he said.

"Ohio State has designated the heart program as a center of excellence. This initiative is another step in our commitment to excellence in research and patient care. This project, along with others the University is pursuing, will help facilitate our joining the upper tier of research universities," Kirwan added.

The proposed heart hospital would be located near the intersection of 12th Avenue and Cannon Drive in an existing five-story medical building. The hospital would be connected to the newly opened Heart and Lung Institute, an 80,000-square-foot complex devoted to research on the cause and treatment of heart and lung disorders.

An aging population is increasing the demand for heart facilities, according to Dr. Robert Michler, chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Ohio State. "Unfortunately, heart disease will probably impact the lives of many people for years to come," said Michler.

"Advances are being made almost daily in cardiac research and treatments and academic medical centers like Ohio State are at the core of these discoveries," he added. "To have a hospital dedicated solely to heart care located next to a cardiac research facility puts Ohio State in a position to make a significant impact on heart disease and other cardiac-related disorders."

According to Michler, the OSU Heart Center will provide resources unmatched in Ohio and will be only the third of its type in the country. "It's tremendously exciting to see a university and community so willing and excited to provide health care of this caliber for its citizens," said Michler. "It is because of this commitment that the OSU Heart Center has developed from a vision to a reality in a very short timeframe."

The heart hospital's location next to the Heart and Lung Institute would facilitate the transfer of knowledge from researchers to patients and centralize many of the cardiac diagnostic and treatment facilities into one single area, according to Dr. Mark Wewers, interim director of the Institute.

"As participants in the international human genome project, researchers in the Heart and Lung Institute would be able to utilize patients' genetic "code" to customize their medical treatment," said Wewers.

University Medical Center is seeing an increased demand for the services offered by its heart program but there also is a need to provide the care as efficiently and cost effectively as possible, according to R. Reed Fraley, vice president for health services at Ohio State. "Moving our heart program to a larger, separate building will enable us to capitalize on our strength and drawing power as a leader in heart care but also help us save money in the long-run by providing cardiac services in a more streamlined fashion."

Fraley said more than two years were spent looking at options that would allow Ohio State's cardiac program to grow without straining vital resources. Renovating existing space on campus was selected over construction of a site off campus or remodeling current cardiac facilities.

"The proximity of the proposed heart hospital to the Heart and Lung Institute and the medical campus will allow access to ancillary services already in place and help keep costs manageable," said Fraley. "The location also supports the teaching and research components of our mission as an academic institution."

As the only academic medical center in central Ohio, Ohio State University Medical Center cardiologists and surgeons have established partnerships with hospitals in several communities around the state including Lancaster, Mansfield, and Bellefontaine. These partnerships allow physicians to share research findings and clinical experience, ultimately increasing access for millions of Ohioans to specialized heart care.

The availability of ultra-modern clinical care training sites, such as a heart hospital, and the unique research opportunities associated with the Heart and Lung Institute, are instrumental in training and attracting the nation's top physicians.

Pending the results of a study by architects, the building proposed for use as a heart hospital could be converted to hold more than 80 patient beds, six catheterization labs, four operating rooms and several diagnostic suites. Currently, there are approximately 70 beds dedicated to cardiac patients in the Medical Center and four heart catheterization laboratories.

Ohio State is internationally known for heart care and a leader in advanced techniques and treatment. Most recently, cardiothoracic surgeons at Ohio State have been instrumental in developing and advancing the field of minimally invasive surgery resulting in less trauma for patients, shorter recovery times and reduced hospital stays. Ohio State is a pioneer in the use of robotic surgery, which allows cardiac surgeons to perform valve and heart bypass surgery in a less invasive manner.

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