Since the heart is one of the most important muscles in the human body, OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center continues to be “heart healthy” after bulking up even more by flexing its cardiology services specialty program “muscle” in 2025.
Just as a physician recommends patients to develop a plan to maintain a strong and vibrant heart (proper nutrition, exercise, plenty of sleep, reduce stress, etc.), OSF Saint Anthony’s, for the second consecutive year, bolstered its cardiology specialty services program by flexing its muscles via state-of-the-art technology in the hospital’s Heart Center, continuing its strategic affiliation with SSM Health, and delivering growth in the form of increased patient volumes.
“A strong cardiology services specialty program is vital to any hospital of any size, no matter its geographic location,” says Dennis E. Sands, M.D., chief medical officer, OSF Saint Anthony’s. “Our cardiology service line remains a top strategic priority. Having a strong cardiology program is crucial because it ensures access to high-quality, specialized care for patients with heart conditions, potentially leading to improved outcomes, better diagnosis and treatment options, and a positive impact on community health by addressing the leading cause of death in many populations - cardiovascular disease.”
The OSF Saint Anthony’s Heart Center cardiac catheter lab provides a range of sophisticated interventional tools, including clinically proven imaging and physiology capabilities, advanced hemodynamic measurements and cardiac informatics to support clinical excellence and efficiency, enhanced patient care and safety.
The OSF Saint Anthony’s Heart Center cardiac catheter lab’s technology transforms minimally invasive therapy when treating cardiac conditions such congenital heart disease, cardiac arrhythmia, vascular disease, and endovascular interventions.
A variety of clinical and patient benefits are possible with the new cardiac care technology including:
- Dynamic Coronary Roadmap (DCR) for Contrast Reduction tool is clinically proven to reduce X-ray contrast agent exposure to the patient by up to 30%.
- An estimated additional 135 hours of operational availability per year allows for more patients to be treated.
- Reduction in procedure time by up to 17% allowing for quicker patient recovery.
- Provide superior patient care, optimize cardiac catheter lab performance, and ability to perform diverse procedures quickly and easily.
With heart disease affecting so many Americans, it’s important to have the right team of doctors and care available close to home. OSF Saint Anthony’s cardiology specialty physician team consists of four (4) cardiologists thanks to an ongoing strategic affiliation with SLUCare Physician Group in St. Louis, part of SSM Health.
These cardiologists bring expertise and the latest technology and best practices in heart care to OSF Saint Anthony’s. “By fully embracing our meaningful collaboration with SLUCare Physician Group, we’re able to bring exceptional medical and surgical cardiologists to the Riverbend region. Doing so ensures that residents have more convenient access to high-quality, sustainable, and innovative cardiac care,” says Dr. Sands.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Annually, it’s estimated that 695,000 Americans die of heart disease – that’s one in every five deaths.
“OSF Saint Anthony’s and SSM Health share a commitment of delivering high-quality, compassionate, and affordable care to our communities." says Jeremy Fotheringham, Regional President, SSM Health. “Our strategic affiliation with OSF Saint Anthony’s allows us to bring the expertise of our heart care team at SLUCare Physician Group to the Alton community. Together, we’re making sure every patient gets exceptional care that is local, integrated, and accessible to the latest innovations in cardiac care and treatment.”
The SLUCare Physician Group providers that joined OSF Saint Anthony’s last year included:
- Nada Memon, MD, SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital
Dr. Memon is a board-certified cardiologist specializing in cardiovascular disease and cardiac electrophysiology.
- Anjali Desai, DO, SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital
Dr. Desai, a board-certified internist, specializes in the prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases and complex cardiac conditions including heart attacks, arrhythmia, and heart failure.
- Abdalla Hassan, MD, SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital
Dr. Hassan is a board-certified cardiologist specializing in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology.
- Shilpkumar Arora, MD, SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital
Dr. Arora is a board-certified cardiologist specializing in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology.
Another sign that OSF Saint Anthony’s cardiology services specialty program has a ‘healthy heart’ is the increased patient volumes in 2025. This includes:
- Echocardiograms = 3% increase (2nd consecutive year of increased volume)
- Interventional cardiology lab monthly procedures = 51% increase (2nd consecutive year of increased volume)
- Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE) with Cardioversion = 70% increase
- Inpatient transfers to SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital = 28% increase
An integral part to the cardiology services specialty program’s success at OSF Saint Anthony’s last year was the significant patient volume increase in the OSF Medical Group – Cardiology clinic offices, led by:
- Meredith Walter, MSN, ANP-BC
- Margy Goetten, NP, RN, MSN, BSN
Through their combined teamwork, OSF Medical Group - Cardiology clinic office visits almost doubled by realizing a 95% increase from 2024.
“2025 was yet another very strong and successful year for our cardiology services specialty program and we’re using that momentum to maintain and increase utilization of what has become a well-structured and coordinated service line dedicated to cardiovascular care, with a comprehensive range of services including diagnosis, treatment, and management of heart conditions,” Dr. Sands says.
“2025 was yet another very strong and successful year for our cardiology services specialty program and we’re using that momentum to maintain and increase utilization of what has become a well-structured and coordinated service line dedicated to cardiovascular care, with a comprehensive range of services including diagnosis, treatment, and management of heart conditions,” Dr. Sands says.
More information about OSF Saint Anthony’s cardiology specialty services program can be obtained by visiting www.osfsaintanthonys.org.