Elevating Heart Care with Every Beat

Q&A with Geoffrey R. Cousins, MD, FACS 

Why did you choose to come to Memorial Health System to practice?
“One of the main reasons is the commitment of the administration to develop a world-class cardiac surgery program so that people can stay here in the Mid-Ohio Valley and receive the care they deserve.”

What do you bring to the team?
“In addition to doing general cardiac surgery, I specialize in beating heart surgery. Beating heart surgery is used for coronary revascularization, also known as bypass surgery. This has traditionally been performed with a heart-lung machine, a pump that moves blood through the body while the heart is isolated, but this surgery removes the machine and keeps the heart beating continuously. By removing the heart-lung machine we keep the heart beating continuously so the brain, kidneys, and lungs see the pulsatile blood flow they are used to.”

What are the benefits of performing the procedure this way?
“Beating heart surgery reduces blood loss, transfusions, renal failure, and stroke. Patients recover faster and return to their usual activities quicker.”

Why should patients trust you for this procedure?
“We have elevated our program to a three-star Society of Thoracic Surgery rating. The three-star rating is as good as it gets. If you compare our program to other programs in the United States and Canada, we are in the top 6-10% for performing coronary revascularization, with the added caveat of the heart beating continuously.”

What’s one thing you want to tell the community about the care they will receive here?
“The main thing the community should know about the care they will receive here is the pride we take in taking care of every patient. We want to make sure everyone receives top-tier care throughout their journey in our health system.”

With Memorial Health System’s recent announcement of becoming the 46th member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, are there any tools or processes you’re interested in exploring?
“Being affiliated with the Mayo Clinic is very beneficial. It allows us to access all the state-of-the-art medical care and consultations, which gives us a broader toolbox as physicians. This allows us to take better care of patients and provides the patients with excellent care here at home.”

What sets our health system and our providers apart from others in the Mid-Ohio Valley?
“What sets Memorial Health System apart is the dedication and commitment from administrators, staff, providers, and everyone involved to make this a destination for healthcare in the Mid-Ohio Valley.”

Describe the level of care that will be administered by the team of providers you are joining.
“It is very exciting to join the team of providers at Memorial Health System. Everyone has been practicing in their areas of expertise for numerous years and is dedicated to providing the best cardiac care to people in the Mid-Ohio Valley.”

What do you like about the Mid-Ohio Valley?
 “I love the geography, the people, and the access. We are centrally located for activities and opportunities, and I like the climate.”

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