Santa Clara Valley Healthcare has expanded cardiology services at Saint Louise Regional Hospital, bringing diagnostic heart care closer to South County residents who previously had to drive up to an hour to San Jose for the same services.<\/p>\n
The new cardiac diagnostic center that opened Jan. 6 offers echocardiography, continuous heart monitoring and treadmill stress testing, among other services, which officials say will reduce travel burdens and potentially save lives in a community where heart disease disproportionately affects the Latino population.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not only serving South County, we\u2019re also helping decompress some of the volumes in San Jose,\u201d said Dr. Sumit Sehgal, the county-hired cardiologist leading the expansion, noting that Saint Louise has already begun serving patients referred from other county hospitals.<\/p>\n
The expansion comes as the county’s public healthcare system faces a $1 billion funding cut from federal legislation HR 1, passed in July. Despite the financial pressures, county leaders emphasized their commitment to addressing health disparities in South County.<\/p>\n
\u201cSouth County is a priority for the healthcare system and the county,\u201d said Paul Lorenz, CEO of Santa Clara Valley Healthcare. \u201cWe know there\u2019s a growing need in this county, but particularly in South County and the surrounding communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
Saint Louise Regional Hospital\u2019s emergency room serves an average of 130 patients daily, with volumes reaching up to 160 during peak seasons, Lorenz said. The county acquired the hospital in 2019.<\/p>\n
The new services address critical gaps for a population that faces significant health challenges. According to a Latino Health Study conducted by the county last year, Latinos in the area live two years less than their counterparts, with heart disease being the leading cause of death in the Latino community.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Latino community has had a death rate from coronary heart disease that is higher than the national average,\u201d said Supervisor Sylvia Arenas, who represents District 1. \u201cThese kinds of disparities show an underinvestment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arenas described the personal impact of inadequate local cardiac care, recounting how a friend experiencing a heart attack had to drive themselves to San Jose because appropriate services weren\u2019t available locally.<\/p>\n
\u201cMinutes matter, seconds matter,\u201d Arenas said. \u201cWe want to make sure that you don\u2019t have to drive an hour to San Jose or somewhere else to get the kind of services that you deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Olivia Lee, physician executive at Saint Louise Regional Hospital, said the expansion represents more than just new equipment. The new cardiac diagnostic space consolidates multiple services under one roof at the Gilroy hospital. The center includes specialized staff and streamlined processes that significantly reduce turnaround times for test results.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis makes it easier for working families,\u201d Lee said of the improved accessibility of foundational cardiac testing services.<\/p>\n
The services include echocardiography, which uses ultrasound to visualize heart muscle movement; Zio Patch monitoring, which tracks heart rhythm and electrical conduction over extended periods; and treadmill stress testing, which evaluates heart function during physical exertion.<\/p>\n
Lee praised Sehgal\u2019s expertise across multiple cardiac diagnostic techniques. \u201cNot every cardiologist can read all of these modalities, but this guy, he can do it all,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Sehgal relocated from Iowa to join the county healthcare system two years ago. After meeting with Lee about her vision for South County cardiac care, Sehgal and his family bought a house in Gilroy to root themselves in the community they would serve.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my first interview with Dr. Lee, she shared her vision with me and said, \u2018We need to create a robust cardiovascular service line in South County. Can we do that?\u2019\u201d Sehgal recalled. \u201cAnd I said, \u2018You know what, we\u2019re going to work together and make that happen.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
During the past two years, the team streamlined ECG processes, established an inpatient pacemaker and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator program, and launched the Zio Patch monitoring service. Volume has surged as services became available, Lee said.<\/p>\n
Planning for the expansion began about a year ago, before the federal funding cuts were announced, according to Arenas.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis investment here is not compromising the rest of the system. It is enhancing it,\u201d Arenas said. \u201cIt\u2019s an underserved community, and so we have to invest where the need exists.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael Elliot, executive director of the Valley Health Foundation, emphasized the significance of the investment during a challenging time for public hospitals nationwide.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the kind of environment that a public hospital system like Santa Clara Valley Healthcare is operating right now, any new investment is a really big deal,\u201d Elliot said. \u201cThere are hospitals like this around the country that are closing their doors right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lee said the new cardiac center lays a foundation that will allow for future expansion of cardiac services beyond the current diagnostic offerings. The goal is to continue building layers of specialized care while also supporting the broader county healthcare system.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout the space, without the specialist, without the expertise, you can\u2019t actually go out there and do all these things,\u201d Lee said. \u201cThis lays the foundation.\u201d<\/p>\n
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