Methodist Medical Center treats all aspects of heart disease. Our quality care begins with the human touch - dedicated cardiologists, nurses and technicians. They combine extensive skills with the latest technology in bypass surgery, angioplasty, stenting, emergency treatment and rehabilitation.

When It's a Heart Attack, Minutes Matter
At Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, patients seeking emergency care for a heart attack receive life-saving interventions, on average, in less than 65 minutes –  that’s 25 minutes faster than the national goal.

Methodist Medical Center is also one of only 167 hospitals in the nation to receive the American College of Cardiology Foundation’s 2011 Gold Performance Award for implementing “a higher standard of care” for patients who have suffered a heart attack.

Methodist offers the full continuum of heart-related care:

• One of the first chest pain centers in the area
• Average door-to-balloon times of 65 minutes (compared to national goal of 90 minutes)
• One of only two hospitals in Tennessee recognized for heart care by the American Heart Association’s Mission:  Lifeline™ Program in an August 2010 issue of US News and World Report
• First hospital in the area to implement a hypothermia protocol which lowers a patient’s body temperature after cardiac arrest to reduce the risk of brain damage.

• Echocardiography lab 
• Cardiac stress lab
• 64-slice CT which can capture images of the heart and coronary arteries in as little as five heartbeats

Surgical Procedures

• All open-heart procedures including multi-vessel coronary artery bypass
• Endoscopic vein harvesting
• Mini-Maze, a minimally invasive procedure for treatment of atrial fibrillation

• Cardiac catherization lab 
• Electrophysiology services
• Minimally invasive transradial procedures, which are currently utilized by only 5% of medical centers nationwide
• Only medical center in East Tennessee using the Impella device, the world’s smallest heart pump, for cardio septic shock and in high-risk heart procedures

• Da Vinci robotics system available to cardiovascular surgeons who can perform procedures such as repairing faulty heart valves laparoscopically rather than through an incision and subsequent opening of the patient's chest.
• First in East Tennessee to repair a hole in the heart robotically.

Cardiac Rehabilitation

• Cardiac rehab in Methodist’s 5,000 square foot facility offers an individualized plan of monitored exercise and education in a medically supervised environment.

Chest Pain Center

• Patients with chest pains receive noninvasive cardiac monitoring and 24-hour nurse observation. They remain as long as necessary in a safe, quiet, comfortable environment. The Chest Pain Center is located in part of the Emergency Department.