Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Programs and Specialties
at Monmouth Medical Center
Monmouth Medical Center (MMC) is part of RWJBarnabas Health, the largest and most comprehensive health care system in the state of New Jersey. At the forefront of our efforts are our Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Services.
As a pioneer in advanced heart, vascular and thoracic technologies, our multidisciplinary teams of cardiologists, pulmonologists, anesthesiologists, radiologists and nurses provide unparalleled diagnosis and treatment. We use comprehensive, evidence-based guidelines and leading techniques and therapies.
Labs Offers Gold Standard in Diagnostic Testing and Treatment
Monmouth Medical Center’s robust cardiac lab has the newest equipment, techniques and devices for diagnosing and treating heart, vascular and disease. We offer a full range of noninvasive cardiac testing including echocardiography, tilt table testing and stress testing. Cardiac MRIs and 3D CTs provide super-sharp imaging that enables us to visualize the inside of the heart without having to do surgery.
In the cardiac catheterization lab, our specialists conduct lifesaving, nonsurgical, catheter-based interventions include emergency angioplasty.
And our cardiac diagnostic testing through the radiology department offers sharp imaging for more accurate diagnosis. A cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test is the gold standard for assessing the structure and function of the heart. Exam results are interpreted by our fellowship-trained and board-certified cardiologist.
At MMC, we use one of the most advanced computed tomography (CT) systems, the Phillips Brilliance 64-Slice, to create a 3-D picture of the heart. It shows the heart’s capacity to determine blockages in the coronary arteries, and to view the sizes of the cardiac chambers. Quick and non-invasive, it allows for more accurate diagnosis and better treatment planning. One of the most sensitive tests for detection of coronary artery disease, this test can noninvasively exclude the disease.
Cardiopulmonary Rehab Meets Highest Standards in the Nation
The Joel Opatut Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Program at Monmouth Medical Center was the first program in Monmouth County to be certified for both cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR), which means our program meets the highest standards of rehabilitative care in the United States. With exercise, therapy, and nutrition counseling, you can reduce the risk of a cardiac or pulmonary event and get on the road to better health.
Programs and Specialties We Offer
Monmouth Medical Center offers a wide array of programs and specialties that include:
- Advanced Cardiac Imaging. With the latest technology, our imaging facilities feature the most expansive diagnostic and interventional cardiac modalities available at an academic medical center.
- Cardiac Diagnostic Testing. We pride ourselves on offering our patients the most advanced technologies and techniques to detect a variety of cardiovascular conditions and thoracic disorders.
- Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Program. The Joel Opatut Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Program at Monmouth Medical Center is an outpatient cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation program offering supervised lifestyle and exercise guidance to help patients take an active role in their ongoing heart health. The program features state-of-the-art fitness equipment including treadmills, arm ergometers, rowing machines and stationary bicycles.
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation Post-COVID Recovery Program. For many patients, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a rapid progression of respiratory failure that often required hospitalization or intensive care unit treatment. Survivors of COVID-19 often experience persistent weakness and respiratory symptoms. At Monmouth Medical Center, our comprehensive Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program offers a post-COVID recovery program that is safe and effective. Our goal is to assist post-COVID patients by improving breathing and lung function, maximizing complete recovery.
- Healthy Lives Program. Our program brings patients and caregivers together with our multidisciplinary team of medical experts to effectively monitor patients with heart failure, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). By providing education and fostering outreach, this program helps to provide interventions to manage symptoms and prevent the need for emergency care or hospital readmissions.
- Pediatric Cardiology Program. MMC offers the state’s largest, most comprehensive, and only heart center that diagnoses and treats children with heart problems such as heart failure, murmurs, cardiomyopathy, Marfan syndrome and others.
- Thoracic Surgery Program. Using the latest advancement and treatment options for disorders of the chest, lung, esophagus, trachea, pleura (lining of the chest) and mediastinum (middle section of the chest), our nationally recognized thoracic specialists are able to perform the most advanced surgical procedures, including minimally invasive techniques whenever possible. Led by a thoracic surgeon who has pioneered many groundbreaking firsts in minimally invasive thoracic surgery and recognized nationally as a leader in this field, the Thoracic Surgery Program offers minimally invasive techniques such as robotic surgery and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for the vast majority — more than 95 percent of patients — to treat a wide variety of thoracic conditions.
- Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Screening Clinic. MMC offers access to the latest in minimally invasive methods to treat failing aortic heart valves, known as transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Working in conjunction with the structural heart team at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center (NBIMC), the MMC TAVR Screening Clinic works to determine patient eligibility for TAVR. The Clinic is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of cardiac surgeons, interventional cardiologists, radiologists, and nurse practitioners who provide the radiological, laboratory and functional testing necessary to evaluate a patient’s suitability. Eligible patients will undergo TAVR at NBIMC within two weeks of their initial consultation at the Clinic.
- Vascular Care. Our vascular surgeons, technologists, and specialists utilize the latest high definition imaging systems, testing options and equipment to diagnose and treat diseases of the blood vessels, putting your health needs first.
Monmouth Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, meets the highest standards in heart, vascular and thoracic research, prevention and education in the nation. Our multidisciplinary teams provide unmatched treatment options close to home.
To make an appointment with one of our heart, vascular and thoracic specialists, request an appointment today.
