Ascension Sacred Heart Bay Celebrates 40 Years of Heart Surgery

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) – On Tuesday night Ascension Sacred Heart Bay celebrated 40 years of performing heart surgery.

Few people can say they’ve held a heart in their hands, but the heart surgeons at Ascension Sacred Heart Bay are proud to say they do that on a daily basis.

Since the cardiology program was first established in the late 1970’s, more than 10,000 open heart procedures have been completed at the hospital. Surgeons, along with their families and even patients were invited to come together to showcase the important roles they played in the program’s success.

“We’re fortunate and blessed to help our community. But really what we do is a team effort that’s comprised of a lot of people on the scene, the nurses, your staff, restorer, therapists, and physical therapists. The list goes on and on. And what success we’ve had is really a reflection of those people as well.” Said Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Greg England.

Dr. Kunal Jani is the chief medical officer for the cardiac program. He says the sky is the limit.

“The cardiac surgery program remains at the forefront of those technologies, ranging from supporting interventional cardiology to catheter-based therapies to advances in heart surgery itself. There’s nothing that we’re not doing that’s not cutting edge here at this hospital.”

Surgeons highlighted the importance of having high-quality medical care in Bay County, allowing patients to stay in their hometown for such a lifesaving procedure.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com.