The Board of Directors and Administration of St. Catherine Hospital are pleased to announce the successful completion of an agreement between St. Catherine Hospital, Kansas Heart Hospital and Cardiovascular Consultants of Kansas to develop a cardiac center at St. Catherine Hospital.  The first phase of this project is a joint recruitment agreement between the three organizations to recruit a full time cardiologist to serve Garden City and the communities of southwest Kansas.

Under this agreement the cardiologist will reside in Garden City and join the Active Medical Staff at St. Catherine Hospital and will be an Associate of Cardiovascular Consultants of Kansas.  St. Catherine Hospital will work with the professionals of Kansas Heart Hospital for additional training, policies and continued clinical support for those patients that require a higher level of cardiac care. 

Kansas Heart Hospital opened its doors February 15, 1999 to become the first healthcare facility in the state of Kansas to be totally dedicated to comprehensive cardiovascular care.  It is the first totally community based facility of its kind in the United States as well.  Licensed for 54 beds, Kansas Heart Hospital has performed the highest volume of coronary artery bypass graft procedures in Kansas during the past three years.  According to the HealthGrades Report for 2006, Kansas Heart Hospital ranked #1 in Kansas for Overall Cardiac Care, Cardiac Surgical Services, Cardiac Interventional Procedures and Cardiology Services.  They are ranked among the top 10% in the nation for overall cardiac care and the top 5% in the nation for Cardiac Surgical Services. 

Cardiovascular Consultants of Kansas, P.A. was formed August 14, 1984 by Gregory F. Duick, MD and Richard A. Steckley, MD.  In May of 1983 Dr. Duick began his outreach clinic at St. Catherine Hospital.  He was joined by Darrell J. Youngman, DO in October 1989.  In October 2004, Dr. Duick turned his outreach clinic duties over to Michael F. Lloyd, DO.  The eight board certified cardiologists of Cardiovascular Consultants of Kansas provide outreach clinic services to 20+ communities across Kansas. 

Scott Taylor, President and CEO of St. Catherine Hospital said, “this agreement not only reflects a mutual recognition by all parties of the need for a cardiac center of excellence in southwest Kansas, but it is also indicative of the trust and confidence that Kansas Heart Hospital and Cardiovascular Consultants of Kansas have in our facility, staff and leadership.  It most certainly reflects the dedication of Kansas Heart Hospital and Cardiovascular Consultants of Kansas to the city of Garden City and southwest Kansas.”