The Royal United Hospital (RUH) is a major acute hospital, located in the Weston suburb of Bath, England, which lies approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) miles west of the Bath city centre. The hospital currently has 565 beds and occupies a 52 acres (21 ha) site. It is the area's major accident and emergency hospital, with a helicopter landing point on the adjacent Lansdown Cricket Club field.
- from Wikipedia
What are the sizes of your Cardiology Department and Hospital?
Cardiology within the RUH is composed of a 28 bedded ward with an 8 bedded coronary care and 8 bedded day case units.
What is the geographical intake area and population served by your hospital?
Geographical intake is 550,000 people.
How many staff? Roles?
There are 5 Consultant Cardiologists, 1 Associate Specialist, 1 Registrar and 5 Junior Doctors.
Types of procedures?
Types of procedures include angiography, angioplasty, primary PCI, cardiac pacing, myoview, DSE and TOE. Angioplasty has access to IVUS, pressure wire, rotablation, Tornus, Proxis, and filter wire.
Types and brands of equipment used?
X-ray equipment is GE Innova including 2 labs, of which one is Biplane. IVUS is both Boston and Volcano. Echocardiography is supported by Vivid 7 and Vivid Q, and haemodynamics are provided by Mac Lab.
Have you had any new equipment installed recently?
Recently there has been a GE Biplane Innova system installed chosen partly because of excellent prior service support but also compatibility with existing x-ray equipment.
How many procedures are performed a year?
During the course of 1 year there are approximately 400 angioplasty, 900 angiograms and 400 pacemakers.
What is the approximate percentage of cath lab cases performed radially compared with femorally?
Of angioplasty performed approximately 30% is radial versus femoral.
Does your department offer a Primary Angioplasty Service?
Primary angioplasty is offered 7.00 am to 19.00 pm with the RUH but the consultants within the RUH participate in the Bristol regional service which provides 19.00pm to 7.00am primary PCI.
What new procedures / techniques have you implemented into the department recently?
In terms of new procedures we have IVUS, pressure wire, rotablation and thrombectomy strategies with the intention to include devices (CRT and defibrillation) in due course and potentially look at an EP facility at some point.
What are the benefits to patients attending your facility?
Cutting edge cardiology care delivered locally!
How is your inventory managed?
Inventory is managed by barcodes but supervised by one our cardiac physiologists.
How does the lab handle haemostasis?
Haemostasis is managed predominately by Angioseal for femoral interventional cases, TR band for radial interventional cases and manual pressure by nursing staff for diagnostic or non-Heparinised cases.
What measures has the department implemented to cut costs?
In order to cut cost we have actively sought inclusion in regional tendering processes but also evaluated efficiency on a rolling basis within the departments.
What kind of training can new employees expect to receive?
New employees within the department can expect to be involved in an active training programme depending on whether they are medical or physiology or indeed nursing staff based.
What kinds of continuing education programs are available to staff?
Continued education is supplied by formal Friday lunchtime meetings and echocardiographic grand rounds.
Please outline the Department Management structure.
Departmental Management structure is Cardiologists with a nominated Clinical Lead who answers to Chair of Medical Division. Cardiology itself has a Ward Sister as well as a lead Physiologist whose Line Manager is Nursing Matron.
How do you deal with late finishing of cases?
The intention is to only put patients on the table which one realistically can finish; however, if this does run over it is covered by the on-call team who would typically be available for primary angioplasty, although both nursing staff and physiologists are routinely on a rota to work until 18.00pm, start time is 8.00am.
What is you policy for company reps within the labs?
Company reps are welcomed but must have booked and are seen in accordance with current BECIS guidelines with patient permission sought if the rep intends to be within the clinical lab environment. Reps are encouraged to bring food and support the Friday meeting with an opportunity to discuss their particular interest.
What is the best part of working at your facility?
The best parts of working at the facility are the people who do the work who really are an excellent team and make it not just tolerable but worthwhile and enjoyable on the whole.
- Photographs courtesy of A Houlding, Communications, Royal United Hospital Bath
