South Central Austin Edition | June 2025

Health care

BY ELLE BENT, ELISABETH JIMENEZ & HALEY MCLEOD

5 health care updates from local hospitals

1 Heart Hospital of Austin Heart Hospital of Austin has worked toward less invasive procedures for patients, shifting from open-heart surgery to minimally invasive techniques through its research department, said Dr. Faraz Kerendi, director of the Heart Valve Clinic at Heart Hospital of Austin. Under the umbrella of St. David’s HealthCare, the hospital focuses on various cardiac and vascular procedures. Kerendi said the specialty hospital’s research department has worked on “the cutting edge” of new technological advancements, such as catheter-based treatment or smaller surgical incisions. Heart valve surgery required open- chest surgery about 10 years ago. The eld then evolved to treating aortic valves through the groin, which was less invasive than the open chest surgery. Since then, technology has improved to include trials for minimally-invasive procedures in other heart valves, Kerendi said. For patients that need more advanced surgery, doctors are now able to do valve replacement through a two-inch incision through the ribs, rather than a traditional open heart surgery, he said. Minimally invasive surgeries can be benecial for patients of all ages, Kerendi said. For younger patients, they can return to activity earlier rather than a monthslong recovery period after more invasive procedures. For older patients, they often cannot undergo invasive operations due to age and high risk of complications. With less invasive procedures, they can be a more viable candidate for treatment, he said.

2 Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin

4 Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas

Families that need to access clean clothing and other necessary resources after a baby is born can do so through the ‘Bump to Baby Boutique’ at Ascension Seton Medical Center, funded by the Ascension Seton Foundation. All patients in the Mother/Baby Unit at ASMCA can receive clean robes, T-shirts, sandals, and sweatpants for mothers to go home in, as well as baby blankets, socks and hats, and toddler clothing for older siblings. Parents can also access resources for new babies like diapers, wipes, diaper bags, car seats and cribs. More than half of birthing patients at ASMCA are not insured or underinsured. Additionally, ASMCA has a level four maternity unit, caring for high-risk pregnancies and deliveries.

A partnership between Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin and Ascension Seton has led to a major expansion of the region’s only neurocritical care unit, which has doubled its capacity just a year after opening— growing from 15 to 30 beds between 2023 and 2024. The expansion enables the department to treat more patients with complex neurological conditions and oer care for a broader range of cases—including stroke, spine and brain surgeries and other specialized neuro care. “[The expansion] opens up our ability to receive more patients from the community and surrounding hospitals who may not have our level of neurocritical care expertise,” Dr. Shahed Toossi, medical director of Dell Seton’s neurocritical care unit, said in a statement.

1201 West 38th St., Austin www.healthcare.ascension.org

1500 Red River St., Austin www.healthcare.ascension.org

3 Dell Children’s Medical Center Healthcare system Ascension Texas announced Adam Messer as president of Dell Children’s Medical Center in February. The appointment of Messer comes after leading Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas since January 2023. During his previous tenure, Messer oversaw a facility with 240 licensed beds, 1,370 employees, 53,000 annual emergency department visits, 13,000 surgeries and opened the only neurocritical care unit in Central Texas. “Our hospitals have become a destination for families who are seeking world-class care, and I’m committed to ensuring we continue that mission as the only nationally ranked comprehensive care destination for children in Central Texas,” Messer said.

5 St. David’s Medical Center Doctors at the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David’s Medical Center are using new technology to oer less-invasive treatments for patients. The team became the rst to use a pulse-eld ablation system for patients with arrhythmias, following approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in late 2024. Dr. Andrea Natale, executive medical director of TCAI, said his team is working on testing the second generation of the PFA system. Natale said for about the past 20 years, doctors have used treatments such as cryoablation to treat arrhythmias, which have higher risk of collateral damage to surrounding tissue. The PFA system allows for more direct treatment and less damage to surrounding tissue, he said. While complications can arise from any treatment, he said, new technology can leave patients with better outcomes after treatment.

Heart Hospital of Austin, under St. David’s HealthCare, oers various cardiovascular treatment and procedures.

MUELLER BLVD.

3801 North Lamar Blvd., Austin www.stdavids.com

4900 Mueller Blvd., Austin www.healthcare.ascension.org

3000 N. Interstate Hwy. 35, Ste. 720, Austin www.tcainstitute.com

SOUTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION