As a cardiologist specializing in heart failure, I have seen how dramatically advanced heart care in Wilmington has evolved.
Today, Wilmington is a destination for sophisticated heart care, with a depth of resources uncommon for a community of this size. That was not always the case. Fifteen years ago, some patients in our region had to travel two and a half hours for the types of care we’re offering here today.
One reason I came to Wilmington was the opportunity to build this program into what we offer today. Along the way, Wilmington became much more than where I practice medicine. My wife and I are raising our family here. My parents, brother, in-laws, aunts, uncles and family also now call this community home.
I am driven to provide high-quality
care to my patients, the same care I want for my family.
But advanced care does not appear overnight. It must be built deliberately and thoughtfully with the evolving needs of the patients at the forefront.
As heart failure progresses, patients may need different types of care, from specialized medical management to advanced therapies. Having these options locally allows us to rapidly adapt to patients’ needs as their condition changes.
Our left ventricular assist device (LVAD) program is one example. When I moved to Wilmington a decade ago, my long-term vision was to help bring this technology to our patients. It has taken years of planning, training, education and coordination with multiple team members. Our team had to lay the groundwork for heart failure care, so we could build on top of that foundation. Without this effort, planning and teamwork, we would never have been able to reach this point.
Novant Health invested in the tools, equipment, trained staff and subspecialists needed to care for patients as their treatment becomes more complex. Having these resources close to home is especially important as symptoms worsen. For patients experiencing shortness of breath or difficulty walking, traveling hours for care can add another burden at an already difficult time.
As physicians, we understand the health of our community and work to anticipate what our patients will need, now and in the future. That means continuing to build specialty programs, recruit talented clinicians, educate and invest – all of this to ensure patients can access advanced care close to home.
Advanced heart care also requires an entire ecosystem. I am lucky to work alongside driven colleagues like Dr. Lisa Rose-Jones, who in just a few short years reimagined our treatment of pulmonary hypertension, and Dr. Hank Marks, who has been the driving force behind the surgeries our patients need. Not to mention colleagues specializing in electrophysiology, heart surgery, AFib, cardio-oncology and valve disease.
It really does take a village – from nurses, pharmacists, advanced-practice providers, therapists and more to make this system work. I am honored to be able to call these providers friends and colleagues. Together, we care for patients whose conditions often cross specialties and require close coordination.
As the Cape Fear region continues to grow, I’m proud to know that we built a program that is prepared to meet the needs of our population not only today, but into the future.
Dr. John Rommel is a Novant Health cardiologist and clinical researcher whose approach to care is rooted in meeting patients where they are and helping them navigate some of life’s most vulnerable moments. A strong believer in team-based care, he works alongside colleagues across Novant Health and is actively involved in leading-edge clinical research to advance treatment and improve outcomes for patients.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Wilmington offers advanced heart care so patients can stay local | Opinion
