Heart Care - Dignity Health - Dominican Hospital

We bring a wide range of cardiac diagnostic services to the Bay Area. These tests help us evaluate your heart function, identify issues and create a treatment plan for conditions like heart disease. Our diagnostic tests include:

• Angiograms with 3D modeling
• Computed tomography (CT) scans
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Nuclear medicine testing
• Portable EKG Holter monitoring
• Pulmonary function testing
• Stress testing
• Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)

Our heart and vascular program at Dominican Hospital treats a range of conditions, including: 

• Atrial fibrillation
• Coronary artery disease (heart disease)
• Heart failure
• High blood pressure
• Mitral valve disease
• Peripheral artery disease (PAD)

Our multispecialty team of physicians at Dominican Hospital offers comprehensive heart care. Our services include:

• Cardiac rehabilitation
• Education and screening 
• Emergency diagnostics
• Heart health exercise and wellness classes
• Interventional heart procedures
• Patient navigators
• Rhythm control management

Our range of cardiac interventions and procedures at Dominican Hospital includes comprehensive surgical services, such as: 

• Ablation of irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
• Cardioversion
• Catheterization procedures, such as stenting, balloon angioplasty and intravascular lithotripsy (IVL)
• Open-heart surgery
• Chest or lung procedures, such as aortic aneurysm repairs
• Minimally invasive procedures, including robot-assisted surgery
• Pacemaker and defibrillator placement
• Repair or replacement of the heart valves

Learn more about heart surgery

Your heart and vascular care team may include one or more specialists depending on your needs. Our skilled team focuses on building relationships with you and your family to support your long-term health.

Your care team may include:

• Cardiologists
• Cardiac electrophysiologists
• Cardiac rehabilitation specialists
• Interventional cardiologists
• Radiologists and other imaging specialists
• Vascular surgeons

Yes. Our cardiac hybrid operating suite at Dominican Hospital allows radiologists, cardiologists and heart surgeons to collaborate in the same room, simultaneously. This advanced technology helps to enhance the treatment of complex heart diseases, potentially leading to:

• Faster recovery
• Fewer follow-up procedures
• Lower infection risks
• Reduced hospital stays
• Shorter surgeries

Cardiac rehabilitation at Dominican Hospital is a medically supervised, exercise and education program in a safe environment for recently discharged patients. Your cardiac rehab team includes clinical exercise physiologists, registered dietitians, nurses and technicians. 

Our cardiac risk reduction program is nationally certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) and offers:

• Education and support groups
• Lifestyle coaching
• Monitored exercise therapy
• Nutritional assessment
• Risk-factor counseling

Learn more about cardiac rehabilitation

As a designated Heart Attack Receiving Center for Santa Cruz County and a Joint Commission-certified Chest Pain Center, we are highly experienced in the emergent diagnosis and treatment of heart conditions. Our facility is equipped with advanced technologies, including a hybrid cardiac surgical suite and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) life support.

Through our partnership with local EMS, our emergency room team receives patient information from the field, allowing us to prepare our cardiac care team before the patient's arrival. This seamless coordination ensures you receive the fastest, most effective treatment possible.

Knowing your heart disease risk can help you take steps to support your heart health. Start with your primary care provider for an initial assessment. They may evaluate factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, smoking history and family history, and suggest tests like blood pressure checks, cholesterol screenings or an electrocardiogram (EKG). 

You can also complete our online heart health questionnaire. Answer a few questions about your health history and lifestyle to receive personalized insights about your potential risk factors. These insights are designed to support conversations with your health care provider about heart health and preventive care.

Take our heart health questionnaire

If caught early, cardiovascular disease can be treated to prevent serious problems such as heart attack or stroke, amputations or even death. Dare to C.A.R.E. is a free heart and vascular disease education and screening program provided as a cooperative effort through Dominican Hospital and Dominican Hospital Foundation.

At your appointment, we will conduct a fast, painless ultrasound of your neck, abdomen and legs. After the screening, you and your doctor will receive your results. If the ultrasound uncovers disease, your primary care physician will discuss a treatment plan.