Morgan Medical Center (MMC) hosted an outpatient clinic Sept. 29 to showcase new technologies and services implemented over the past year.
The Tuesday evening reception was open to the public. It was designed to give community members a look at enhanced services and to hear from some of the facility’s newer providers.
CEO Ralph Castillo said the facility recently welcomed cardiologist Dr. John Layher to its staff, along with general surgeon Dr. Sergio Mejias.
Castillo said he saw the event as a good opportunity for community members to see their work and how it enhances services.
“We wanted to go ahead and introduce them as part of Morgan Medical Center and allow them to talk to the public about the great things that they’re doing and new services and new foci here at the hospital,” Castillo said. “I cannot overstate just how transformative it is to have a full-time cardiologist at Morgan Medical Center, but having a cardiologist in Morgan County is something we’ve never had. It really elevates the type of medicine that is practiced here.”
During the outpatient clinic, Castillo and MMC staffers provided a tour of the facility, including technology additions over the past year, such as imaging services. Castillo noted the event mainly highlighted enhanced cardiology services, as Morgan Medical Center previously transported over 60 patients monthly by ambulance to receive more advanced cardiac care.
“Since Dr. Layher came here, it’s been reduced, and we are keeping more patients here overnight in observation or admitting patients to the acute floor for issues that we heretofore had to send to Athens or to Atlanta,” Castillo said. “The [larger surrounding hospitals] are good partners when it comes to taking care of patients that are beyond our scope right now, but sometimes when you go to those for even just a simple outpatient procedure, you’re stuck for a few hours.”
Layher shared details of some of the recent advances in the facility’s cardiac services, along with being the facility’s first full-time cardiologist. His move to MMC officially took place in July, after previously practicing at Saint Mary’s in Athens for 18 years.
“There’s a lot of new equipment and things that we’re doing at this small hospital that some other larger hospitals still don’t even offer, such as coronary CT,” Layher said. “They’re getting a new CAT scan machine that’s able to visualize the coronary arteries, and cardiac MRI.
“I would say that probably 90% of a patient’s needs from cardiology could be met here at Morgan Medical. Maybe 10% of things that we couldn’t handle that we’re going to need to send somebody to a higher level of care.”
Castillo said MMC signed a deal with General Electric to expand its cardiac CT and cardiac MRI services.
“We just have to build that space for those things to happen, which will take place over the next 12 months,” Castillo said. “The cardiac CT will come in first, and then the MRI after that.”
Overall, Castillo said he was happy with the turnout of the outpatient event and saw a “good mix” of local officials and community members in attendance. Going forward, he hopes the hospital can continue to make a “positive patient experience.”
“It takes physician leadership to be able to really move the medicine along, and so we feel that the investments in cardiology, imaging, and general surgery are going to yield great things for the communities we serve and keep people open,” Castillo said. “It’s a part of the healing process to have a good patient experience, and it engenders trust with the community.”