Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) has entered into an affiliation agreement to join the Dignity Health Arizona Division. This alignment brings together two leading health care systems with a shared vision and values and a commitment to provide accessible, affordable and innovative health services to the communities served by YRMC.   

The affiliation will scale best-in-class clinical services, recruit and retain additional primary care providers as well as top medical specialists, and align clinical operations to improve delivery of care. It will also bring to Yavapai County innovative medical technologies and treatments as well as collaborative initiatives with existing community resources that will expand YRMC’s ability to effectively serve and advocate for all people.

Dignity Health in Arizona currently operates six acute-care hospitals in the Phoenix-area, including St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center which is home to renowned Barrow Neurological Institute, Norton Thoracic Institute and the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center. The division also offers comprehensive health care services, including clinics, specialty hospitals, urgent cares, insurance providers, an accountable care organization and other clinical and community partnerships.

“This affiliation will enhance the delivery of health care services to the residents of Yavapai County,” says Linda Hunt, President and CEO of the Dignity Health Arizona Division. “Dignity Health has a strong and unwavering commitment to the communities we serve. We are devoted to delivering compassionate and excellent medical care for residents throughout Yavapai County.”

In addition to providing leading acute care services and expanding access to health care, the affiliation will focus on reinvesting in the community through grants and the creation of clinical programs to keep aging populations and people suffering from chronic illnesses healthier. Dignity Health in Arizona provides millions of dollars annually in community benefit.

“Yavapai Regional Medical Center’s strong commitment to the Quad Cities will not change,” says John Amos, President and CEO of Yavapai Regional Medical Center. “We believe that together, we will be able to build on our position of strength and expand YRMC’s current offering of health care services and resources to create an even stronger future of support for the people and communities in western Yavapai County.”

Leadership from both organizations will continue to work closely to ensure consistent, thoughtful alignment. The transition is expected to occur late this year, subject to the completion of regulatory and licensing approvals and other closing conditions.

Phung Le, DO, a Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) Vascular Surgeon, has moved to a new office. Dr. Le and his office staff may now be reached at:

YRMC PhysicianCare, Vascular Surgery
808 Ainsworth Drive, Suite 103
Prescott, Arizona 86301
(928) 458-2850

Dr. Le, who joined YRMC in 2017, performs complex vascular surgeries and minimally invasive endovascular procedures. He is also dedicated to helping his patients adopt lifestyle changes that improve their health.

Dr. Le graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Arizona State University in 2003. He earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine in Glendale in 2010.

During a general surgical residency at Memorial Hospital in York, Pennsylvania, Dr. Le was trained in open, laparoscopic and endoscopic surgery. He also earned the prestigious position of chief resident.

Following his surgical residency, Dr. Le studied vascular surgery during a two-year fellowship at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, an internationally recognized teaching hospital.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Le, contact YRMC PhysicianCare Vascular Surgery at (928) 458-2850.

Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) and Dignity Health are currently involved in discussions to evaluate a potential collaboration between the two organizations. YRMC, with acute care hospitals in Prescott and Prescott Valley, primary and specialty care clinics, and extensive outpatient services, has been serving western Yavapai County since 1943.  

“Yavapai Regional Medical Center is pleased to explore opportunities to collaborate with a world-class health system like Dignity Health,” states John Amos, President and CEO, Yavapai Regional Medical Center. “There are great synergies between the two organizations. We share common values and a commitment to best-practice healthcare, and like YRMC, Dignity Health’s commitment to serving the healthcare needs of Arizonans spans generations.”

YRMC’s Board of Directors and Administrative Council recently made the decision to evaluate how a relationship with a larger health system could help YRMC expand healthcare in the Quad City region. Should both organizations choose to move forward with a relationship, YRMC would gain access to Dignity Health’s impressive talent and resources to ensure a robust and growing healthcare system for acute care, pediatric care and high-access specialty services for western Yavapai County. 

“This opportunity has tremendous potential to help YRMC advance healthcare in our region,” adds Amos. “Being part of a system that includes a Level-One Trauma Center, Barrow Neurological Institute, Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center, and the Cancer Center at St. Joseph’s would add great value to the high-quality healthcare we already provide to those in our region.”

Discussions are ongoing between both organizations and a decision regarding collaboration is expected this summer.

Valued Patients, Friends and Neighbors,

We at YRMC are closely monitoring the emerging Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and are in regular contact with our local and state resources as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

If you are looking for the most reliable, up-to-date information regarding this public health situation, the following resources should be your primary source of information:

Arizona Department of Health Services Coronavirus Disease 
​https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/index.php#novel-coronavirus-public-resources

CDC Coronavirus Fact Sheet
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet.pdf

Yavapai County Community Health Services
http://www.yavapai.us/chs

CDC Coronavirus Disease
​https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

World Health Organization Coronavirus
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

The Arizona Department of Health Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization will release updated information when available.

Pain is our body’s way of telling us that something is wrong. Whether it’s a bump or bruise, sprain or strain, we know immediately that we’re injured and we take the necessary precautions to protect ourselves and recover. But when the pain continues long after we’re healed, something very different is happening. This is known as chronic pain, and it can have a real impact on our day-to-day life and even our mental wellbeing.

If you or someone you love suffers from chronic pain, you know how difficult it can be to live with. The good news is that there are now innovative and effective treatment alternatives close to home, thanks to the new Interventional Pain Management program at YRMC PhysicianCare in Prescott Valley.

How is chronic pain different?

When we injure ourselves, pain sensors are immediately activated at the site of the injury. Electrical signals are sent from the pain sensors, nerve to nerve, until they reach the brain. The brain then translates these signals to tell us that we are hurt.

Once we’re healed, the signals typically discontinue. However, in the case of chronic pain, the pain sensors continue to send new signals to the brain for weeks, months, or even years after the injury. The brain continues to interpret these signals as pain.

According to a report published in The Journal of Pain: Official Journal of the America Pain Society, chronic pain affects one in four adults over the age of 40 in the United States. The effects of living with chronic pain can be far-reaching. In addition to the pain itself, patients can experience stress, depression and other mental conditions.

How is chronic pain treated?

Craig Leicht MD, MHP is one of the practitioners with the Interventional Pain Management team at YRMC PhysicianCare. Dr. Leicht stresses that although Interventional Pain Management is a comparatively new specialty, it has already made a significant impact on chronic pain management.

“In the past, much of pain management was handled by anesthesiologists and physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists. It may have been considered more of a sub-specialty,” says Dr. Leicht. “Now, Interventional Pain Management is a true specialty. My focus is the interventional aspect, which includes procedural and minimally invasive operative interventions. There is also a medication management specialist as well as a physical medicine and rehabilitation, or physiatry specialist. We also consult with the YRMC Physical Rehabilitation and Occupational Therapy Departments.”

The Interventional Pain Management team works closely with the patient to determine the best approach for each individual. The goal is to relieve, reduce or manage pain so that patients can return to their daily activities quickly and without heavy reliance on medications.

Dr. Leicht stresses that patient involvement is key.

“My first visit with a patient will last up to one hour or more,” he says. “We discuss the spectrum of pain management approaches, beginning with weight loss and a walking program. I encourage my patients to get off of their cane or walker and get outside with walking poles if at all possible. Studies show that walking poles can ease 50 to 70% of the pressure in the lower back. Of course, walking is good for the brain and psyche too.”

“Interventions such as Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) may ultimately be the best option, but it’s important to try lifestyle adjustments first,” he continues. “SCS is a tool to manage pain, along with lifestyle changes. SCS can be life changing, but the patient has to participate as much as they are able.”

Download this Chronic Pain Assessment Checklist that you can review before you visit your healthcare provider.

What is Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS)?

Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) is a minimally invasive procedure where two thin wires are placed in the back, near the spinal cord. The wires are connected to a small battery powered pulse generator, which is implanted under the skin. The pulse generator sends mild electrical pulses to the spinal cord. These pulses act to calm the nerves. This, in turn, minimizes the pain signals that are sent to the brain.

A variety of conditions respond well to SCS, including failed back syndrome, which is fusion after previous lumbar surgery. SCS can also be effective for low back pain and/or sciatica that have not been treated effectively by epidurals or other methods. In addition, phantom limb pain experienced by amputees, as well as causalgia, which is similar to phantom limb pain, but without an amputation, can respond well to SCS.

Can I try SCS before I commit to the procedure?

Dr. Leicht requires that his patients undergo an SCS trial before making the decision to have the permanent procedure. In fact, SCS is one of the few surgical procedures that utilize a true trial prior to permanent implantation. For the trial, two temporary wires are inserted into the back, near the spinal cord. They are attached to a pulse generator, which is worn on your belt or taped to your side. You can use the temporary SCS for a week to see if it’s right for you.

What additional new treatments and technology are available through YRMC’s Interventional Pain Management Program?

Most recently, Dr. Leicht is the only physician in our area to offer two new, minimally invasive procedures that treat spinal canal stenosis with neurogenic claudication, which is a narrowing of the spinal canal causing pressure on the nerves. This condition causes leg pain and/or weakness after walking and is most often seen in our older population.

These new, leading edge, minimally invasive procedures are called Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression (MILD) and Vertiflex Superion. Prior to these new advances in technology, the only option for relief was major open back surgery with fusion, which has a 1 to 2 year recovery period and is typically not recommended for older patients.

The MILD and Vertiflex Superion procedures are both done on an outpatient basis using local anesthesia, making them better options for many older patients. Recovery is a week or less and both procedures have a 70 to 90% five-year effectiveness rate.

“This brings a huge benefit to our patients,” says Dr. Leicht. “For those who can’t walk five feet without leaning on a shopping cart, these new procedures can often allow them to walk all day. We’re proud to be able to offer them here in the Quad-Cities for the first time.”

 How can I learn more?

The Interventional Pain Management team is here to help get you back to the things you enjoy most in life. Best of all, you no longer have to leave our community to benefit from the latest pain management technology.

For more information on the spectrum of pain management services available, or to schedule a consultation, you can contact the Interventional Pain Management team at (928) 777-1002. Their office is located at the Del E. Webb Outpatient Center, 3262 N. Windsong Drive, Suite A, Prescott Valley, Arizona.

In our connected world, the latest information about your recent medical diagnosis is as close as a Google search. Sprinkled throughout those search results you’ll typically find information about research studies involving leading-edge treatments, new medical devices and groundbreaking therapies.

“Research studies are the foundation of medicine,” said Lynn Bessette, Clinical Research Consultant, Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC). “Any advancements we’ve made in medicine are due to research.”

This is one reason YRMC has joined other hospitals and providers nationwide as a research study site. In fact, YRMC is the first hospital in northern Arizona to take this important step.

Because the medical research world is unfamiliar to most people, below are answers to some of the questions you may have about YRMC’s current research studies and more.

How will YRMC’s involvement in research studies benefit our community?
In addition to contributing to the overall advancement of medical science, YRMC had an even more important reason to get involved in research.

“The decision was inspired by the people of our community,” Bessette said. “YRMC physicians and medical staff are dedicated to providing the best care available to our patients. By engaging in research studies, we are inviting the newest technology to our community so that our patients can receive leading-edge therapies while they remain within the comfort and care of their families.”

What kinds of research studies will be available through YRMC?
YRMC will participate in research studies across all therapeutic areas, starting out with several interventional cardiology studies related to new heart therapies.

Before they become widely available, new medical devices, therapies and medications – as well as new ways of using existing treatments – are the focus of extensive clinical research studies. These research studies include hospitals, providers and patient volunteers from throughout the country.

“Clinical research studies compare the current standard of care with the newly developed therapy,” said Bessette. “They also answer specific questions about the new approach, such as the optimal dosage for a new medication.”

How are the research studies monitored?
YRMC has formed a multidisciplinary Research Committee to oversee all research activity. The committee meets monthly to review the feasibility and appropriateness of each study, as proposed by individual physicians. This ensures the studies meet the needs of our patients in every way.

What specific research studies are available through YRMC?
Currently, YRMC is participating in two important studies under the direction of Interventional Cardiologists Mansour Assar, MD, FACC and Robert Candipan, PhD, MD, both of the James Family Heart Center.

Here’s a summary of the research studies, both of which are now enrolling volunteers:

• A device study that involves a carotid artery stent – a small mesh tube – that’s designed to treat cerebrovascular disease by restoring blood flow to the head and neck. Cerebrovascular disease affects the blood vessels and arteries that supply the brain.
• Evaluation of Treatment Strategies for Severe Calcific Coronary Arteries: Orbital Atherectomy vs. Conventional Angioplasty Technique Prior to Implantation of Drug-Eluting Stents.

What kinds of volunteers are needed for these two research studies?
The studies are enrolling volunteers who meet specific age, health and other requirements. Whether referred by a cardiologist, or a current YRMC PhysicianCare Cardiology patient, all potential study volunteers are clinically evaluated to ensure they meet the study criteria before joining. Research participation is always voluntary.

If you, or a family member, are interested in either of these research studies, the best place to start is with your primary care physician or cardiologist. Information about the studies is also available by contacting:

Lynn Bessette
YRMC Clinical Research Consultant
[email protected]

Bessette, who has been part of the medical research world for nearly 20 years, is looking forward to seeing the difference these and other research studies will make in the lives of people throughout our community.

“Being involved in these amazing research studies gives us a look today at what is going to make tomorrow better for everyone,” she said.

If you are one of the millions of people in this country who struggle with chronic pain, you know firsthand how it can hinder your quality of life. You may have explored just about everything in an attempt to cope with your pain—injections, medications, chiropractic care, surgery—yet the pain persists.

YRMC’s Chronic Pain Self-Care Program can help. This innovative program will show you how to work in concert with your body and mind to understand and ease chronic pain through self-empowerment techniques and physical therapy. You will learn ways of treating pain that work best for you. Since chronic pain is an individualized experience, your particular form of self-care is individualized, too. All you need is the willingness to learn more about what chronic pain actually is and what you can actively do about it.

“The more we understand the predicament of chronic pain, the more empowered we are to disempower the pain process,” says Cheryl Van Demark, a physical therapist and certified yoga therapist who leads the Chronic Pain Self-Care Program as part of YRMC’s Physical Rehabilitation Services Department.

What the Program Covers
This program helps you understand the role played by your nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves) in perpetuating chronic pain.

“When we enter a chronic pain experience, a number of changes happen in our nervous system,” Van Demark explains. “This program is about identifying and understanding those changes so you can begin working with your nervous system to unlearn conditioned responses to pain.”

Along with exploring the neurological side of pain, the Chronic Pain Self-Care Program engages the whole person – body, mind and spirit – in a holistic approach to pain that aligns with YRMC’s Vision of a Total Healing Environment. The program explores ways to:

• Reduce stress
• Feel sensations of comfort and relaxation
• Use food as medicine
• Face fear of movement
• Mitigate suffering
• Cope with uncertainty
• Befriend the body
• Pace physical activity
• Develop self-compassion

You’re in Good Hands
This multidisciplinary approach draws from YRMC’s diverse pool of experienced health professionals in chronic pain management, to include:

• Cheryl Van Demark, PT
  Physical Therapist and Certified Yoga Therapist
• Rich Tenney, PT
  Physical Therapist and Postural Restoration Specialist
• Steven Galper, MD, JD, ABPN
  Board Certified in Neurology, Psychiatry and Pain Medicine
• Craig Leicht, MD
  Interventional Pain Management
• Rita Carey Rubin, MS, RD, CDE
  Therapeutic Dietician

YRMC’s Chronic Pain Self-Care program consists of five, two-hour classes that meet on consecutive Fridays. Every six weeks you can join your classmates in an empowerment group dedicated to practicing learned skills. There is no additional cost to attend this empowerment group and you are free to ask a support person to join you.

Participation in the program requires a referral by your physician. Please ask your physician to fax a referral to (928) 771-5507.

If you have additional questions about Chronic Pain Self-Care at YRMC, please call YRMC’s Physical Rehabilitation Department at (928) 771-5131.

The cost of the program should fall under your health insurance company’s physical therapy benefit.

After completing his medical residency, Dr. Feingold returned to his hometown of Phoenix, where he worked for Cigna Healthcare. In 1998, he left the Valley to join YRMC and put down stakes in the Quad Cities.

“It was a great honor for me to present this award to Dr. Feingold,” said John Amos, President and CEO, YRMC. “As a long-time member of our medical staff, Dr. Feingold has been with YRMC for many important milestones, including the opening of the Family Birthing Center at YRMC East in 2010. Dr. Feingold is an exceptional individual and an amazing physician. We are proud to recognize him as our 2019 Physician of the Year.”

Dr. Feingold currently serves as medical director of the Yavapai Laborist Program, which was created to ensure a board-certified OB/GYN is always on-site at YRMC’s Family Birthing Center. He also has served as chairman of YRMC’s Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology and was a member of YRMC’s Credentialing Committee.

In 2010, Bridgeway Health Solutions of Arizona – now Arizona Complete Health –presented Dr. Feingold with the Summit Award for Obstetrics. Dr. Feingold was recognized for the high-quality obstetrical services he consistently provides members of the organization’s health plan.

YRMC’s Total Healing Environment Physician of the Year is selected annually by YRMC employees and medical staff and presented to a physician who:

• Provides excellent patient care.
• Is sensitive to the needs and desires of patients.
• Emulates positive relationships with employees and volunteers.
• Is respectful to all and a team player.
• Takes pride in YRMC and the community.

In his leisure time, Dr. Feingold enjoys spending time with his family as well as pursuing his hobbies, which include stand-up paddle boarding, mountain biking and hiking.

The Family Resource Center at Yavapai Regional Medical Center will continue its partnership with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to offer a free car seat safety program to families in Yavapai County.

For over 30 years, YRMC’s Family Resource Center has served families in the Quad City area, working to keep children safe and empowering parents with the knowledge, tools, and resources to build strong parent-child relationships and to give children the best start to life possible! 

Incorporating the latest research in early child development, the Family Resource Center’s nationally accredited Healthy Families program supports parents and children via free home visits from highly trained early childhood specialists. This program promotes healthy pregnancies, bonding and attachment, and ways to encourage healthy brain development. Healthy brain development creates the foundation for emotional regulation and a child’s perception, ability, and skill to respond to everything in life, as they enter adulthood.  This includes how they cope with stress and challenges, and what kind of relationships (of all types) they pursue.  YRMC’s Healthy Families program also provides developmental and other screenings and connections to community resources, individualized for each family.

A renewed grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety in the amount of $13,923 will support the Family Resource Center team as they support families in an additional way - offering car seat safety checks, distributing seats free of charge when needed, and providing supporting education to help keep children safe inside their family’s vehicles. During the 2019 fiscal year, over 96% of the seats checked via this program arrived in an unsafe configuration, greatly increasing the child’s risk of injury or death in the event of a car accident.

Caregivers need a vehicle with working seat belts and will receive a one-time 30-45 minute session that includes child safety seat education, a safety check guide, and hands on installation in their vehicle.  Caregivers who already have seats are invited to take advantage of this program to complete a safety check and assure all safety aspects are considered (for example, car seats expire, typically 6 years after the date of manufacture, at which point the seat can no longer adequately protect a child).  These sessions are scheduled weekly and provided by nationally certified Child Passenger Safety technicians.

Keeping your child safe is one of the most important jobs of caregivers. YRMC’s Family Resource Center and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety have made it easier for many of our families in the Quad City area to do just that. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call the Family Resource Center at (928) 771-5651.

A third Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory – featuring technology available in only a few hospitals nationwide – has opened at the James Family Heart Center at
Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) West in Prescott.

“Our comprehensive Heart Program offers – in addition to a robust surgical program – a wide range of highly advanced catheter-based therapies in the cardiovascular arena,” said Soundos Moualla, MD, FACC, FSCAI, Medical Director, Structural Heart Program, James Family Heart Center at YRMC. “The innovative technology and clinical expertise allow us to deliver highly advanced structural, coronary, peripheral and electrophysiological procedures to our community. The new Cardiac Cath Lab enhances our standing in these areas of excellence.”

In fact, the new Cardiac Cath Lab incorporates technology so advanced that it is the first of its kind in the western United States. It joins two other advanced YRMC Cardiac Cath Labs, and the hybrid OR, all of which are equipped with sophisticated diagnostic imaging equipment.

In the Heart Center’s Cardiac Cath Labs, interventional cardiologists – specialists who perform non-surgical heart procedures – tap technology to visualize the heart’s arteries, vessels and chambers. After diagnosing a heart disorder, YRMC’s interventional cardiologists repair patients’ hearts using the advanced imaging technology.

“The heart services provided at YRMC are typically only available in much larger markets across the country,” said George Rizk, MD, Medical Director, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, James Family Heart Center at YRMC. “We are very fortunate to have this technology and talent available in the Quad Cities area.”

The following features are part of the world-first technology in YRMC’s new Cardiac Cath Lab:

• Azurion Angiography Operating System – The Heart Center’s Azurion operating system takes both x-ray and ultrasound images. As the patient lies on the table, a rotating arm gathers the images into a single, three-dimensional view of the heart. Approximately 100 of these Philips operating systems are currently available in the United States.
• The EchoNavigator – This technology gathers the Azurion’s three-dimensional images into a clear and detailed “road map” of the patient’s heart. It allows physicians to see real-time, three-dimensional images of the heart. At the same time, the technology gives interventional cardiologists a sharp view of the catheter or heart implant they are guiding during a procedure.

For more information about YRMC’s James Family Heart Center, visit YRMC HealthConnect (YRMCHealthConnect.org) or YRMC.org.

Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) is sponsoring a series of free Health Insurance Marketplace Enrollment Events during open enrollment, which takes place November 1-December 15, 2019.

“The people of our community are very family focused,” said Robbie Nicol, Executive Director, YRMC Community Outreach and Philanthropy. “This dedication to family inspired YRMC to offer these enrollment events. We’re very pleased to provide no-cost, expert assistance to individuals and families who want health coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Our team can also help people applying for AHCCCS, Arizona’s Medicaid.”

YRMC Certified Application Counselors (CACs) will offer assistance during the following Health Insurance Marketplace enrollment events:

YRMC West Admitting – 1003 Willow Creek Road, Prescott

• Wednesday, November 13, 2019, 5:00–8:00 p.m.
• Saturday, November 23, 2019, 9:00 a.m.–Noon

YRMC East Admitting – 7700 East Florentine Road, Prescott Valley

• Saturday, November 9, 2019, 9:00 a.m.–Noon
• Wednesday, November 20, 2019, 5:00–8:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, December 4, 2019, 5:00–8:00 p.m.

YRMC recommends people to bring the following items to the Health Insurance Enrollment Events:

• Social Security Numbers for everyone on the application
• Employer and income information for all working family members (for example, pay stubs, W-2 forms, or wage and tax statements)
• Marketplace (healthcare.gov) login information (username and password) or a valid email address
• Policy numbers for any current health insurance

In 2020, some people may qualify for premium tax credits as well as lower monthly premiums, lower deductibles and co-payments from the Health Insurance Marketplace.

“Our counselors will be able help people determine their benefits based on their financial situation, number of dependents and more,” Nicol said.

All Health Insurance Marketplace Plans include the benefits listed below. Plans also may offer additional benefits.

• Ambulatory patient services (outpatient care)
• Emergency services
• Hospitalization
• Pregnancy, maternity and newborn care
• Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment
• Prescription drugs
• Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices (services and devices to help people with injuries, disabilities, or chronic conditions gain or recover mental and physical skills)
• Laboratory services
• Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
• Pediatric services, including oral and vision care (adult dental and vision coverage are not considered to be essential health benefits)

 Health insurance coverage begins January 1, 2020 for people who sign up during open enrollment. For more information about YRMC’s Health Insurance Marketplace enrollment events, please contact (928) 771-5151.

The James Family Heart Center at Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) has reached another milestone. The Heart Center recently performed its first transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR)—an emerging and highly complex procedure.

“Very few heart centers in Arizona, the region or even nationwide have the advanced technology, medical expertise or state-of-the-art facilities necessary to perform TMVR,” said Soundos K. Moualla, MD, FACC, FSCAI, Interventional Cardiologist and Director, YRMC’s Structural Heart Program. “We are fortunate that YRMC’s Heart Center has all three components and we were prepared to offer this procedure to our patients.”

The TMVR was performed in YRMC’s Hybrid Operating Room, recognized as among the best in the nation. The following Heart Center experts – along with staff from the Cardiac Catheterization Lab and Cardiovascular Surgery – collaborated before, during and after the procedure:

• Soundos K. Moualla, MD, FACC, FSCAI
• Jose E. Torres, MD, FACS
• George Gellert, MD
• Saina Attaran, MD, MRCS, FRCS
• Daniel Beck, MD
• Gwen Rhodes, RN

TMVR is necessary when the mitral valve – located between the left heart chambers (left atrium and left ventricle) – cannot be replaced and the patient is considered too high-risk for re-do surgery. TMVR candidates may suffer from dysfunction of an existing biological mitral valve, either mitral valve regurgitation or mitral stenosis, and a host of complicating conditions.

During TMVR, the mitral valve is removed and replaced with a mechanical valve or a biological tissue valve from a pig, cow or human heart tissue (organ donor).

“These are people with severely compromised health,” Dr. Moualla said. “They may have already undergone numerous surgeries and procedures. The common denominator is their need for the team approach and evaluation, and the technology available at the James Family Heart Center at YRMC.”

Stay up-to-date on news from the James Family Heart Center at YRMC, by subscribing to YRMC HealthConnect. For more information about the James Family Heart Center, visit www.yrmc.org.