Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (LHAAMC) has launched its cardiac surgery program. On Dec. 23, 2020, the first cardiac surgery case was performed at the hospital by Dr. Daniel Lee, chief of cardiac surgery; his guidance and leadership has been integral to the local launch of the much-anticipated program.
For years, cardiac surgery has been the missing link to a full spectrum of heart care services at LHAAMC. In 2015, the medical center filed a Certificate of Need (CON) application with the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) to gain approval to develop a cardiac surgery program. The MHCC approved LHAAMC’s CON in 2017 and all opposition was dropped in 2019, paving the way for Anne Arundel County’s first cardiac surgery program.
“Heart disease is responsible for about one in four deaths here in our community. Transferring our patients elsewhere delays and disrupts their care, creating unnecessary risk for them and hardship for their families,” said Lee. “We are now providing a state-of-the-art cardiac surgery program right here at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center, enabling an integrated and continuous system of care for our patients in our community.”
Anne Arundel County outpaces the nation in the prevalence and mortality of heart disease. It is the second leading cause of death and accounted for 22 percent of all Anne Arundel County deaths in 2017.