New Cardiology Services at UPMC Whitfield Hospital: Enhancing Patient Care

UPMC Whitfield Hospital is now offering new cardiology services that help diagnose and treat heart rhythm problems. For people in the South East, this means that they can now access these services without having to travel far from home.

This significant development marks a new chapter in cardiac care at UPMC Whitfield Hospital and provides benefits to both patients and their families, as well as their referring GPs.

These new services are called electrophysiology (EP) studies and catheter ablation. They are especially useful for people with atrial fibrillation (AF), which is a common type of irregular heartbeat. According to the Irish Heart Foundation, 1 in 4 people over 50 are at risk for AF, which can lead to serious health issues like stroke and heart failure if not treated.

At UPMC Whitfield Hospital, EP studies help doctors find out what’s causing the irregular heartbeat. Catheter ablation is a treatment that corrects the problem. These procedures are both performed by expert cardiology and electrophysiologists, Dr. John O’Dea and Prof. Usama Boles, in the hospital's state-of-the-art cardiac catheterisation lab.

People with symptoms like palpitations, dizziness, fainting, or known heart issues may be suitable candidates for these procedures. Their GP can refer them to UPMC Whitfield Hospital for these tests and treatments and any abnormal electrical activity in the heart will be assessed and treated.

Speaking about the extension of the cardiology service at the hospital, General Manager, Gwen Daniels explained, “Delivering EP studies and catheter ablation means that patients can now receive specialised treatment for complex cardiac arrhythmias without the need to travel long distances. Access to advanced procedures here in Waterford ultimately means more timely and effective care.”

She continued, “"Delivering state-of-the-art cardiac care within the local community shows UPMC's unwavering commitment to ensuring residents of the South East have access to the highest quality medical care close to home. This initiative follows our recent €7.8 million investment in radiotherapy services."

Speaking about the new extended cardiology service, Leonie Clarke, Assistant Director of Nursing, said “By providing these services locally, we are committed to enhancing the health and wellbeing of our patients and supporting our referring GPs with comprehensive, high-quality care. As a team, we are very proud to significantly advance the cardiac care available to our community.”

The GP is the primary contact for managing heart health and can assist in coordinating a patient’s specialist care if necessary. If patients need a referral to one of UPMC Whitfield Hospital’s two EP Consultants, their GP can make the referral and their care will be coordinated accordingly.

Read more about cardiology services at UPMC.