Ascension Wisconsin announced this week it has established a new $1 million electrophysiology lab at Ascension All Saints Hospital in Racine.
The lab, which was supported by a $175,000 gift from the All Saints Foundation, is capable of addressing a broad spectrum of cardiac electrophysiology procedures, including complex arrhythmias, the health system said.
The hospital also announced it has hired Dr. Bernard Lim, a Mayo Clinic-trained cardiac electrophysiologist, to lead the development of the new electrophysiology program.
“This investment in the electrophysiology lab at Ascension All Saints represents the foundation’s dedication to improving health outcomes and reducing stroke complications for patients with Atrial fibrillation (AFib),” said Dan Pettit, board chair of the All Saints Foundation. “Having this technology and Dr. Lim at Ascension All Saints means patients will be able to receive the heart care they need closer to home.”
The new EP lab includes a cryoablation system, a minimally-invasive method of treating AFib that uses cryotechnology to freeze heart tissue. The procedure uses a balloon-tipped catheter to cool the heart tissue and create a seal around the vein leading from the heart to the lung that is often the source of rapid heartbeats.
“Treating AFib with cryoablation has been found to be more effective than drug therapy, which can have side effects,” Lim said. “I’m excited to provide this new and much-needed service to patients in the greater Racine area.”
Construction of the new EP lab was completed earlier this month.
Ascension announced in August it plans to build a $42 million medical center in Mount Pleasant, the first project of the health system’s planned $100 million investment in the Racine area over the next three years. Ascension has operated All Saints Hospital in Racine since 2016, when Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare joined the St. Louis-based health system.
