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08.13.08 Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David’s Medical Center First in the Nation To Use a New Generation of Medical Robots For Complex Electrophysiology Mapping Procedures - CoHesion™ 3D Visualization Module Improves Physician Accuracy And Reduces Radiation Exposure for Patients -- This week, doctors at the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute (TCAI) at St. David’s Medical Center became the first in the nation to implement the CoHesion™ 3D Visualization Module—an enhancement to the state-of-the art Hansen Robotic system used to treat cardiac arrhythmias. With the visualization module, patients undergoing the ablation treatment for heart arrhythmias are exposed to about 30 percent less radiation than without the new technology, among other benefits.

Heart arrhythmias are problems that affect the electrical system, or "wiring," of the heart muscle. Heart arrhythmias are very common. Experts say that millions of people will experience an abnormal heart rhythm some time during their lives.

During cardiac ablation, doctors destroy, or ablate, a small spot of heart tissue to create an electrical block along the pathway that causes a heart arrhythmia. The new CoHesion™ module can help reduce potentially fatal complications during treatment. The improved accuracy of allowing physicians to more precisely control the robotic catheter can also reduce the time it takes to perform the procedure, cutting the amount of radiation exposure for patients by about 30 percent.

The new CoHesion™ module combines the EnSite System's 3D cardiac chamber model with anatomic labeling with the Sensei system's main navigation window, allowing physicians to see the location of Hansen Medical's Artisan™ Control Catheters within the heart in 3D. This allows doctors to augment their ability to move a catheter throughout the heart, as well as increase control over placement of the catheter in specific locations in patients with heart arrhythmias. Previously, physicians used 3D imaging as a reference only.

Hansen Medical, Inc. received FDA approval for using the CoHesion™ 3D Visualization Module in complex electrophysiology mapping procedures in July, 2008.

TCAI—an international treatment, training and research center specializing in heart rhythm disorders—formally opened in April, 2008, under the direction of internationally renowned cardiac electrophysiologist Andrea Natale, M.D.

Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia/Texas Cardiovascular Consultants
Founded in 1996 by Rodney P. Horton, M.D., Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia, now a division of Texas Cardiovascular Consultants, has performed thousands of electrophysiology procedures and cared for thousands of patients, providing state-of-the-art care in Texas as well as in Central and South America. The team participates in clinical research, offering patients the latest technology while ensuring that physicians remain on the cutting edge. For more information about clinics throughout Austin and surrounding countries, as well as in Waco, Bryan, College Station, San Angelo, Temple, Killeen, Corpus Christi, Laredo and Odessa—please visit www.TCAheart.com.

Founded in 1995, Texas Cardiovascular believes the successful delivery of effective cardiovascular care and health management depends on the establishment of a close working relationship with the patient, the availability of all of the latest diagnostic technologies, and physicians trained in all state-of-the-art techniques to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease. With more than 35 physicians and seven full-time offices, Texas Cardiovascular cares for patients throughout Central Texas and statewide.

St. David's HealthCare
St. David’s HealthCare’s total capital investment related to the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute is approximately $36 million. The initial capital investment is $8 million for new technology and Institute infrastructure, $6 million for a hospital renovation project on the second floor where Institute patients receive care and another $22 million for a critical care patient tower that is currently in the planning stages. With the $36 million capital investment in TCAI, St. David’s HealthCare will have invested more than $680 million in Central Texas in the last 10 years.

St. David's HealthCare is the fourth-largest private employer in the Austin area, with more than 6,200 employees and $2.3 billion in annual gross revenues. In 2007, St. David’s HealthCare was voted one of Austin’s “Best Places to Work” by the Austin Business Journal. For more information about St. David's HealthCare or its hospitals: St. David's North Austin Medical Center, St. David's Round Rock Medical Center, St. David's South Austin Hospital, St. David's Medical Center, St. David's Georgetown Hospital, and St. David's Rehabilitation Hospital, please visit www.stdavids.com.

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08.04.08 The Austin Leadership Forum Hosts "The Impact of Partisan Politics” Panel Discussion with Area Political and Community Leaders - On Friday, August 15, The Austin Leadership Forum will host a panel discussion on “The Impact of Partisan Politics.” The upcoming presidential election appears to have intensified public attitudes, which are now more strongly associated with partisan affiliations.

“Partisanship can be affected by many factors including current events, figure-heads, decisions and even location,” Madeleine York, Austin Leadership Forum co-founder and moderator, said. “It is important that we as a community are educated voters on the various individual psychological identifications that can occur with one or the other major political parties.”

The discussion will cover the impact of partisan politics on the economy, national security, health care and the 2008 presidential election among other topics. The following speakers will participate:

Commissioner Jerry Patterson, Commissioner of the General Land Office, served his country as a U.S. Marine for over twenty years and as a Republican Texas state senator for six years.

Kent Caperton, a partner with the Ben Barnes Group, works on national and state issues for a variety of clients with needs in government relations and public policy matters. Prior to joining the Ben Barnes group, Caperton was a Managing Director at Public Strategies and served as a Democratic Texas state senator for ten years.

Sam Coats, a former attorney, airline executive, Democratic member of the Texas Legislature and most recently President and CEO of Scholtzsky’s Inc. Coats was a recent candidate for Dallas Mayor and is expected to run for Dallas County Judge in 2010.

Commissioner Gerald Daugherty, a Republican, was elected to the Travis County Commissioners Court in November of 2002 and was unopposed for re-election for four more years in 2004. He serves as the County Commissioner of Precinct 3, which covers 48 percent of the landmass of Travis County.

The panel discussion will be held from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. on Friday, August 15, at the Austin Club, located at 110 East 9th Street. The cost is $20.00 per person and includes breakfast. Reservations are required and registration closes on Wednesday, August 13. To register, visit www.theaustinleadershipforum.com or call (866) 502-8258. 

The Austin Leadership Forum
The Austin Leadership Forum mission is to elevate the role of leadership in the lives of the citizens of Central Texas; to focus on the vitality and necessity of regional leadership capital; and to serve others through the process of encouraging individuals to grow, prosper and make a significant difference through the practice of leadership skills. Founders Madeleine and Norman York, principals of York Career Development, Inc., began the Austin Leadership Forum in 2003, with the objective of convening a monthly meeting for local leaders to share their practical experiences with others who might use the information in their efforts to empower and motivate colleagues and employees.

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07.31.08 Perryman Study Shows Nuclear Power Facility Would Bring An Economic Engine to Victoria - The construction and operation of Exelon’s proposed nuclear power facility would employ more than 700 high-paid workers and create more than 6,500 ancillary jobs in the Victoria area. Total local spending would increase by more than $2 billion each year, according to a recent 65-page study by The Perryman Group, an economic and financial analysis firm based in Waco, Texas.

According to the report, if Exelon moves forward with the project, not only will the nuclear power facility contribute substantial electricity generation capacity to ensure a more stable supply of affordable power in Texas, it will also enhance fuel diversity in the state’s energy mix, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create an economic engine for the region through gains from the construction, development and operation of the facility.

“Any business investment produces spin-off effects, which ripple through the economy,” Dr. Ray Perryman, president of The Perryman Group, said. “For example, construction of the nuclear facility will likely involve input from a variety of industries such as engineering services, construction equipment rentals, security, legal services, building supplies, landscaping, janitorial services, and many more.” Once the facility is operational, a similar “multiplier effect” will magnify the plant’s benefits to Victoria and to the entire state.

According to the study, if Exelon builds the plant, benefits would include:

• Construction and development will lead to incremental tax receipts over the build-out period, including $348 million to the state and about $70 million to local governments (school districts, cities, counties and others).
• More than 700 permanent, high-paid employees at the plant and more than 6,500 ancillary jobs in the Victoria area.
• Wages and salaries of the employees on site would likely be substantially higher, almost 90 percent, than the average for the area.
• Economic output—goods and services produced in the area – would increase even more over the construction period of the plant.
• The facility will also serve as an important source of growth and diversification for the area’s economy, and long-term effects on property values are likely to be positive.

“It’s a win/win situation for Victoria and Texas,” Bill Harris, community outreach manager for Exelon, said. “Not only would the facility create safe, clean nuclear energy, it would come with this added financial bonus.”

In 2007, Exelon announced it was exploring building a nuclear facility in Victoria County and that it would file a combined construction and operating license application (COLA) with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as part of the decision-making process. The site encompasses 11,500 acres about 20 miles south of the city of Victoria, near McFaddin. If Exelon moves forward with this project, construction could begin as early as 2011.

For a copy of the Exelon Economic Impact Report, go to www.nuclearenergyfortexans.org.

Exelon Corporation is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities with approximately 5.2 million customers and more than $15 billion in annual revenues.  The company has one of the industry’s largest portfolios of electricity generation capacity, with a nationwide reach and strong positions in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic.  Exelon distributes electricity to approximately 5.2 million customers in northern Illinois and Pennsylvania and natural gas to more than 470,000 customers in southeastern Pennsylvania.  Exelon is headquartered in Chicago and trades on the NYSE under the ticker EXC.

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07.18.08 CAPITAL ONE BECOMES A PRIME PARTNER BANK- Capital One joins Texas Access to Justice Foundation’s growing list of institutions that help boost funding for legal aid in Texas -- Capital One, a diversified financial services company offering a broad array of credit, savings and loan products to customers in the United States, UK and Canada, is the newest member of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation’s Prime Partner Bank program, which is composed of financial institutions that pay a net yield of 70 percent or more of the Federal Funds Target Rate on Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA).

“Capital One and other Prime Partner Banks play a key role in helping more low-income Texans receive critical civil legal help for issues such as domestic violence and landlord-tenant disputes,” Richard L. Tate, Foundation chair, said. “We thank Capital One for making the choice to pay higher interest on IOLTA accounts, thereby providing more funding for those who need free legal assistance in Texas.”

“At Capital One, we offer a broad spectrum of financial products and services for businesses and individuals,” said Ricky L. Otey, executive vice president and Texas retail bank executive for Capital One Bank. “In Texas, Capital One is a Prime Partner Bank, which we feel benefits local communities as it gives low-income Texans access to better services.”

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation’s 2008 IOLTA revenue was projected to be $28 million, but based on recent interest rate cuts, it is now projected to be $12 million. Prime Partners, such as Capital One, help to mitigate the decline in revenue available to fund legal aid.

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation (www.teajf.org), created by the Supreme Court of Texas in 1984, is the leading state-based funding source for the provision of civil legal aid in Texas. The organization is committed to the vision that all Texans will have equal access to justice, regardless of their income. The Foundation administers a variety of funding sources, which are earmarked to assist nonprofit organizations in providing legal aid to approximately 100,000 Texans each year.

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06.24.08 Bourn Partners Completes Renovation of Williamsburg Village - Bourn Partners, a real estate development firm headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, with regional offices in Austin, today announced the completed renovation of Williamsburg Village in the Williams Drive corridor of Georgetown, Texas.

The retail shopping center, with approximately 106,000 square feet, is located in central Georgetown at the southeast corner of Williams Drive and Booty’s Crossing, approximately one mile west of IH-35.

Williams Drive, a five-lane arterial connecting IH-35 to most of Georgetown’s residential subdivisions, has been a prime focus of redevelopment for the City of Georgetown.

“With this renovation we hope to spur additional activity in the area by attracting new retailers, and helping to further boost the local economy,” Angel Benschneider, principal of development for Bourn Partners, said.

Bourn Partners purchased Williamsburg Village in late 2006 and launched the renovation effort in late 2007. The renovation team included Austin-based David Bessent Architects and Burt-Watts Industries as general contractor for the construction.

Retail spaces ranging from 750 to 35,000 square feet are currently available. Tim Allen with Orsus Real Estate will market Williamsburg Village for Bourn.  He can be reached at (512) 476-2506.

About Bourn Partners
The Bourn Partners team is comprised of more than 80 employees with a market presence in Arizona, California, Colorado, Texas and Nebraska. In 2006, the company had in excess of $450 million in gross development transactions. In addition to development activities, Bourn Partners actively manages and leases more than 2.4 million square feet of commercial product. With more than $1 billion in projects at various stages of development, Bourn Partners is a premier real estate developer throughout the Southwest. Bourn Partners’ Austin office was opened in 2004 to expand development opportunities and investment and brokerage efforts in Texas. For more information, please visit www.bournpartners.com

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“Just as the aging U.S. population requires more care, the number of qualified nurses is shrinking across the nation,” Dr. Tom Cedel, President, Concordia University Texas, said. “Federal projections are that employment opportunities for registered nurses are expected to grow faster than the average for all other occupations; Concordia is proud to help meet this critical workforce need.”

The Nursing Program will have two components: Pre-Nursing Courses (taken during the Freshman and Sophomore years) and the Professional Nursing Courses (taken during the Junior and Senior years). Pre-Nursing Courses in the sciences and humanities will provide students with a foundation for the art and science of caring for others.

Toward the end of the Pre-Nursing Courses, students will apply for admission into the Professional Nursing Courses. Students must have an acceptable grade point average and a record of activities showing their concern for others in order to be accepted into the Professional Nursing Courses.  

The Professional Nursing Courses will consist of nursing clinical experiences and lectures/seminars that provide students the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to become competent and compassionate professional nurses.

Concordia has hired Dr. Joy Hinson Penticuff, RN, formerly an endowed professor of nursing at The University of Texas at Austin, as Director of Nursing Program Planning. The four-year program, which will be housed in Concordia University Texas’ College of Science, will be led by Penticuff under the direction of Dean Michael Moyer.

Penticuff was a member of the nursing faculty at The University of Texas at Austin for more than 30 years. In addition to duties as a professor, Penticuff spent nine years as the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Nursing Programs and as the Chair of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. She has won numerous awards as a scholar and teacher including the Teaching Excellence Award and election to the Academy of Distinguished Teachers, both through The University of Texas. Penticuff’s areas of research are bioethics, human rights and ethics in health care. Her record of publications and other scholarly works includes more than 40 listed items.

Individuals interested in learning more about the program should e-mail joy.penticuff@concordia.edu or call (512) 512-313-5510.

About Concordia University Texas
Concordia University Texas is an award-winning institution of higher education, with satellite campuses in Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. A privately-held, accredited, liberal arts university, Concordia is owned by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. It is a member of the highly respected Concordia University System in which more than 19,000 students are enrolled nationwide. Spring 2008 showed the highest enrollment at Concordia with 1,964 students. The Austin Business Journal named Concordia University Texas to a recent list of “Best Places to Work.” U.S. News & World Report named Concordia University Texas to its 2007 list of “America’s Best Colleges.”

For more information, please visit www.concordia.edu

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"We are excited about the continuing growth of our healthcare services in the Texas Hill Country and the jobs we can bring to the community with the opening of Sundance Inn," Greg Moore, president of TRISUN Healthcare, said. "Residents at the new facility will enjoy high-quality skilled nursing care and an array of services that address their physical, emotional and spiritual needs."

According to the 2000 Census, 16.9% of the New Braunfels population is aged 65 and over. As the population ages, Sundance Inn will help to meet the needs of seniors in the New Braunfels community. The facility will also add approximately 130 jobs to the local economy.

Sundance Inn houses 128 beds to provide both short- and long-term nursing care options. Wendy McCaskill will serve as administrator of the center. McCaskill has many years of experience in managing long-term care facilities. Most recently she was administrator at TRISUN's Pflugerville Care Center.

TRISUN's services include 24-hour specialized nursing care, physical and occupational therapy, speech and language pathology, hospice care, a spiritual care program, pharmacy services, social services, recreational activities and more. Additionally, TRISUN provides important nutritional management with meals that are prepared daily according to residents' needs and preferences. The á la carte dining program provides menu-style ordering, offering residents a variety of choices at mealtime.

About TRISUN Healthcare TRISUN Healthcare is a Texas-based company that manages 31 skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities and assisted living centers. The company manages facilities in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metro area, Austin, the Corpus Christi area, Georgetown, New Braunfels, Pflugerville, Round Rock, Temple, San Angelo and San Antonio. TRISUN's mission is to provide the best care and environment, so that their residents look forward to each day and their associates enjoy a sense of pride and purpose.

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06.02.08 Texas Access to Justice Commission Hosts Trial Academy for Legal Aid Lawyers - Texas Fellows of American College of Trial Lawyers Donated Their Time and Expertise -- The Texas Access to Justice Commission hosted the 2008 Texas Trial Academy in Austin May 18-22, 2008, for legal aid attorneys. The Trial Academy, held at The University of Texas Law School, provided legal aid attorneys the opportunity to enhance their litigation skills and knowledge by participating in demonstrations of various trial phases conducted by the Texas Fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Texas members of the elite American College of Trial Lawyers, along with other prominent attorneys, donated their time and shared their extensive trial expertise with the front-line lawyers who advocate for the poor. Membership in the American College of Trial Lawyers is by invitation only, extended to experienced trial lawyers who have demonstrated exceptional advocacy skill and whose careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.

"We are extremely grateful to the Texas Fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers and other faculty members for donating their time, expense and extraordinary talents to enhance the trial skills of legal aid attorneys who work every day to help the most disadvantaged members of our communities," Jim Sales, chair of the Texas Access to Justice Commission, said. "The Trial Academy afforded attendees the opportunity to learn from some of the best litigators in the business, which has a direct and positive impact on the quality of service delivered to legal aid clients."

Thirty staff attorneys from legal aid organizations throughout Texas attended the five-day, interactive seminar, which included advocacy skills, direct and cross examinations, opening statements and closing arguments, and voir dire. After each skills workshop, participants were individually critiqued by Trial Academy faculty.

"For attorneys working on the frontlines of providing legal services to low-income Texans, this training was invaluable," Texas Civil Rights Project attorney Corinna Spencer-Scheurich said. "The Trial Academy provided an extraordinary opportunity to hone a variety of important skills that will help the Texas legal aid community immensely."

Cynthia Day Grimes from Ball & Weed, P.C. in San Antonio served as the course director for the Trial Academy.

The Texas Access to Justice Commission (www.TexasATJ.org) was created in 2001 by the Supreme Court of Texas to develop and implement policy initiatives designed to expand access to and enhance the quality of justice in civil legal matters for low-income Texans. The Commission has created several initiatives to increase resources for and awareness of legal aid, including the domestic violence Protective Order Kit, the Texas Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program, and www.TexasLawHelp.org, an online resource for free legal information.

Editor's note: The Trial Academy faculty, including firm affiliations and city, are listed on the following page.

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05.19.08 St. David's HealthCare Granted the State's Top Honor for Quality and Performance Excellence - First Health Care System in Central Texas to Receive this Honor -- St. David's HealthCare and the Quality Texas Foundation announced today that the hospital network was selected as one of three recipients of the Texas Award for Performance Excellence, the highest honor bestowed by the State of Texas based upon world class quality measures.

The award, given by the Quality Texas Foundation, is based on St. David's HealthCare's commitment to excellence and the benefits it brings to communities and the Texas economy. St. David's is the first healthcare system in Central Texas to receive this award.

"This recognition is a tribute to all of the outstanding individuals who make up the St. David's HealthCare team," Jon Foster, president and CEO of St. David's HealthCare, said. "These individuals truly make a difference in the lives of our patients each and every day."

Since 1994, the Quality Texas Foundation, a nonprofit Texas corporation that administers the Texas award, has presented 33 recipients with the Texas Award for Performance Excellence. Utilizing the same criteria and process as the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the Texas Award for Performance Excellence is an annual recognition of Texas organizations that have achieved performance excellence and have applied outstanding quality principles in their day-to-day operations. The award is presented to organizations that serve as role models for quality, customer satisfaction, and performance excellence in the state of Texas.

Administered by the Quality Texas Foundation, the Texas Award for Performance Excellence was established in 1993. The award is open to government, education, healthcare, nonprofit organizations and other businesses. These organizations go through a rigorous application process where quality and performance excellence must be demonstrated on a variety of measures including: organizational leadership; strategic planning; focus on customers; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; workforce focus; process management; and results. The Texas Award for Performance Excellence is the highest honor bestowed by the State of Texas based upon world class quality measures.

St. David's HealthCare St. David's HealthCare is the fourth-largest private employer in the Austin area, with more than 6,200 employees and $2.3 billion in annual gross revenues. With a total of 21 sites across Central Texas, St. David's HealthCare includes five of the area's leading acute-care hospitals: St. David's North Austin Medical Center, St. David's Round Rock Medical Center, St. David's South Austin Hospital, St. David's Medical Center and St. David's Georgetown Hospital. For more information please visit www.StDavids.com

Quality Texas Foundation The Quality Texas Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c) 3 corporation that evolved from a concept introduced by Governor Ann Richards in 1990. Cooperative efforts between the Governor's office, the Texas Department of Commerce and Texas businesses made it possible for the new Quality Texas Foundation to organize and deliver quality awareness seminars across the state. At the same time, EDS Corporation assigned an executive to lead development of the state quality award. A committee was formed with representatives from organizations across Texas. The committee created the Texas Award for Performance Excellence, open to government, education, healthcare, nonprofit, and business organizations. The American Productivity & Quality Center was chosen as the original award administrator and applications were first accepted in 1993. The Quality Texas Foundation now administers the Texas Award for Performance Excellence as an independent nonprofit corporation. For more information please visit www.texas-quality.org

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05.06.08 DMX AND LA MADELEINE BAKE SWEET MUSIC TOGETHER - la Madeleine Country French Café, has chosen DMX, Inc. as its exclusive music supplier. DMX, the leading provider of sensory branding for commercial environments, will enhance the dining experience by providing foreground music in the bakery and dining areas at la Madeleine's more than 60 North American locations.

"At la Madeleine our goal is to provide our guests a unique and memorable dining experience every time they visit us," la Madeleine's Chief Operating Officer, Phil Costner, said. "The DMX system enhances our country French ambience and enables our guests to immerse themselves in the experience."

la Madeleine's menu diversity stretches from the finest hand crafted pastries, to award winning soups and salads to country French favorites like savory crepes and herb crusted rotisserie chicken. The DMX approach to creating sensory branding will no doubt compliment the mouth watering aromas and sights that make up the la Madeleine experience.

DMX's music design will reinforce the feeling of traditional French country life by offering soothing sounds throughout the entire space-even into the bathrooms, which will feature spoken-word French lessons created by DMX's expert team of messaging specialists. Every la Madeline location features an inviting fireplace and wooden dining tables that are reminiscent of a family dinner setting, made even cozier by the light classical background music chosen specifically to evoke a truly Continental experience. To deliver the creative content, la Madeleine will using DMX's ProFusion D music platform, an on-premise system designed especially for long-play in commercial environments.

About DMX Recognized as an international leader of sensory services, DMX creates brand experiences for commercial environments. The company's services include music design, full motion video, audio messaging and environmental scents developed to provide brand texture for its customers and create integrated, multi-sensory environments that drive repeat business. DMX also provides music for cable television networks worldwide. For over 35 years, DMX's customers have included prominent industry leaders and represent some of the most identifiable international brands such as Nike, Starwood Hotels, 24 Hour Fitness, American Eagle, and many others. For more information please visit DMX on the Web at www.dmx.com.

About la Madeline la Madeleine Bakery, Café & Bistro serves authentic country French cuisine adapted for American tastes at 63 locations in nine U.S. markets. Founded in 1983 as a boulangerie, or French-style bakery, la Madeleine has evolved into a neighborhood café and bistro where guests can enjoy a meal made from fresh, simple ingredients at their own pace. la Madeleine has twice been named one of the "Top 10 Bakeries in the U.S." by Bon Appetit and one of the "Top 50 Regional Powerhouse Chains" by Nation's Restaurant News. For more information, visit www.lamadeleine.com.

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05.06.08 St. David's Round Rock Medical Center Receives American Heart Association Award - St. David's Round Rock Medical Center recently received the American Heart Association's Get With The GuidelinesSM -Coronary Artery Disease (GWTG-CAD) Silver Performance Achievement Award. The award recognizes St. David's Round Rock Medical Center's commitment and success for a full year in implementing a higher standard of cardiac care that effectively improves treatment of patients hospitalized with coronary artery disease.

St. David's Round Rock Medical Center includes a state-of-the-art Heart and Vascular Center, complete with a certified Chest Pain Emergency Center. With the latest in diagnostic and interventional cardiovascular technology, the center is equipped to cover the spectrum in cardiovascular care, from open heart surgery to point-of-care testing and cardiac rehab services.

"St. David's Round Rock Medical Center is dedicated to making our cardiac unit among the best in the country, and the American Heart Association's Get With The GuidelinesSM program is helping us accomplish that by making it easier for our professionals to improve the long-term outcomes of our cardiac patients," said Deborah Ryle, CEO of St. David's Round Rock Medical Center. "We are pleased to be recognized for our dedication and achievements in cardiac care."

To receive the award, St. David's Round Rock Medical Center consistently complied for one year with the requirements in the GWTG-CAD program. Under the GWTG-CAD program, patients are started on aggressive risk reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, aspirin, ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers in the hospital and receive smoking cessation and weight management counseling and referrals for cardiac rehabilitation before they are discharged. Hospitals that receive the award have demonstrated that during one year at least 85 percent of their eligible coronary patients (without contraindications) are discharged following the American Heart Association's recommended treatments.

"The American Heart Association applauds St. David's Round Rock Medical Center for its success in implementing the appropriate evidence-based care and protocols to reduce the number of recurrent events and deaths in cardiovascular disease patients," said Gregg C. Fonarow, M.D., National Chairman of the Get With The Guidelines Steering Committee and Director of Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center. "St. David's Round Rock Medical Center has achieved a high level of performance in terms of implementing these life-prolonging treatments."

According to the American Heart Association, approximately 565,000 people suffer a new heart attack and 300,000 experience a recurrent heart attack each year. Statistics also show that within one year of a heart attack, 18 percent of men and 23 percent of women will die. Within five years after an attack, about 33 percent of men and 43 percent of women will die.

The American Heart Association's GWTG program is designed to increase the use of and adherence to the association's secondary prevention guidelines for coronary artery disease. Developed to assist healthcare professionals follow proven standards and procedures before patients are discharged, GWTG-CAD can help St. David's Round Rock Medical Center reduce the risk of recurrent heart attacks and death in treated patients. The program, which works by mobilizing teams in acute care hospitals to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines, was developed with support from an unrestricted educational grant from Merck & Co., Inc.

The American Heart Association's Get With The GuidelinesSM program is being implemented in hospitals around the country. For more information on Get With The GuidelinesSM, visit www.americanheart.org/getwiththeguidelines.

All St. David's HealthCare facilities-St. David's Round Rock Medical Center, St. David's Georgetown Hospital, St. David's North Austin Medical Center, St. David's South Austin Hospital and St. David's Medical Center-have certified Chest Pain Emergency Centers.

St. David's Round Rock Medical Center St. David's Round Rock Medical Center, located on FM 620, off IH-35, provides comprehensive health services to residents of Williamson and surrounding counties. Services include The Heart and Vascular Center with express testing, inpatient capacity of 175 beds with private rooms, The Women's Center and a thriving Emergency Room. The medical staff at St. David's Round Rock Medical Center currently has more than 600 physicians to meet the needs of the growing Williamson County population. For more information, please visit www.StDavids.com/sdrrmc.aspx

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05.01.08 St. David's HealthCare and Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Announce International Center For Training, Research and Treatment of Heart Rhythm Disorders - Dr. Andrea Natale, Leading Expert on Atrial Fibrillation, Named Executive Medical Director of the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David's Medical Center -- St. David's HealthCare, along with Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia, announced today the development of the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute (TCAI) at St. David's Medical Center. TCAI-an international treatment, training and research center specializing in heart rhythm disorders-is the first of its kind in the U.S.

Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia, an Austin-based cardiac electrophysiology group that is a division of Texas Cardiovascular and the largest private practice electrophysiology group in the U.S., recruited and hired world-renowned cardiac electrophysiologist Andrea Natale, M.D., FACC, FHRS, as a partner in the practice. Natale will serve as TCAI's executive medical director.

"Recruiting renowned researchers and physicians to Texas, like Dr. Natale, spurs further growth of the state's health care industry and contributes to our overall competitiveness in the global marketplace," Texas Governor Rick Perry said. "The addition of Dr. Natale and the establishment of the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David's Medical Center positions Central Texas as a leader in heart health care in Texas and across the country."

Heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias) are problems that affect the electrical system, or "wiring," of the heart muscle. Heart arrhythmias are very common; experts say that millions of people will experience an abnormal heart rhythm some time during their lives.

Natale treats patients from around the world for abnormal heart rhythms (or Atrial Fibrillation). He was a member of the Cardiovascular Medicine Department at the Cleveland Clinic from 1999 to October 2007, serving most recently as section head for the Department of Cardiac Pacing and Electrophysiology and as medical director for the Cleveland Clinic's Center for Atrial Fibrillation. In 2006, Natale was named to the Food and Drug Administration's Task Force on Atrial Fibrillation and recently received a patent for a device used to modify the part of the heart that causes Atrial Fibrillation.

In addition to Natale, the team of electrophysiologists with Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia and TCAI includes Shane M. Bailey, M.D.; Robert C. Canby, M.D., F.A.C.C.; Rodney P. Horton M.D.; G. Joseph Gallinghouse, M.D.; Larry D. Price, D.O.; Javier E. Sanchez, M.D.; and Jason D. Zagrodzky, M.D. The addition of Dr. Natale solidifies Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia as arguably one of the leading electrophysiology groups in the world.

Born in Siracusa, Italy, Natale graduated from the Medical School of the University of Firenze, Italy, in 1985. After graduating from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome, Italy, he completed his clinical training in cardiology at the University of Wisconsin's Sinai Samaritan Medical Center and the University of Western Ontario. He has written or co-written hundreds of published studies on pacing and electrophysiology.

"The future of treatment for Atrial Fibrillation, an increasingly common heart rhythm disorder, is at the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute," Jon Foster, chief executive officer, St. David's HealthCare, said. "We already treat more patients than anyone else in the region for this disorder and serve as an international training magnet for the medical community, teaching other physicians the latest techniques; with the addition of Dr. Natale, we will be able to significantly broaden the patient and physician base that we serve."

The "Silent Killer"

Atrial Fibrillation (A Fib), known as the "silent killer" because it often goes unnoticed, is a disorder found in roughly 2.2 million Americans. During A Fib, the heart's two small upper chambers (the atria) quiver instead of beating effectively. Blood isn't pumped completely out of them, so it may pool and clot. If a piece of a blood clot in the atria leaves the heart and becomes lodged in an artery in the brain, a stroke results.

Traditionally, patients diagnosed with A Fib take blood thinning medications to prevent blood clots from forming in the heart. Current blood thinning medications require frequent monitoring and have diet and other drug interactions causing many patients to discontinue use of the medication.

At TCAI, patients are treated with the latest technology. The Institute is one of only two in the country with both the Hansen Robot and a state-of-the-art Stereotaxis lab for the treatment of heart rhythm disorders.

The American Heart Association estimates that 20 percent of all strokes result from A Fib and are usually more debilitating due to the larger size of the clots. A person with A Fib has a six-fold increased risk of stroke versus patients with normal heart rhythm. The likelihood of developing A Fib increases with age, affecting roughly three to five percent of people over age 65.

International Training Facility

TCAI is the only one of its kind dedicated to the teaching of all aspects of electrophysiology (EP) to cardiac healthcare providers from around the globe. The educational programs have been approved by the appropriate agencies to offer continuing education credits for nurses and allied health professionals, as well as CMEs for physicians.

Hands-on EP classes are offered in Austin at TCAI. Satellite classes are offered at EP labs throughout the U.S. and Latin America.

To date, the TCAI team has conducted dozens of training events for physicians and medical staff from around the country.

Research

To date, Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia has conducted 100 clinical trials including a number of National Institute of Health (NIH) trials. "Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia has a nationwide reputation for excellence in performing clinical trials; the practice has long been sought after to conduct clinical trials on a variety of subjects in the area of cardiac electrophysiology," Robert C. Canby, M.D., F.A.C.C., said, "With the development of the Institute, we anticipate significant growth in research and clinical trials."

St. David's HealthCare St. David's HealthCare's total capital investment related to the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute is approximately $36 million. The initial capital investment is $8 million for new technology and Institute infrastructure, $6 million for a hospital renovation project on the second floor where Institute patients receive care and another $22 million for a critical care patient tower that is currently in the planning stages. With the $36 million capital investment in TCAI, St. David's HealthCare will have invested more than $680 million in Central Texas in the last 10 years.

St. David's HealthCare is the fourth-largest private employer in the Austin area, with more than 6,200 employees and $2.3 billion in annual gross revenues. In 2007, St. David's HealthCare was voted one of Austin's "Best Places to Work" by the Austin Business Journal. For more information about St. David's HealthCare or its hospitals: St. David's North Austin Medical Center, St. David's Round Rock Medical Center, St. David's South Austin Hospital, St. David's Medical Center, St. David's Georgetown Hospital, and St. David's Rehabilitation Hospital, please visit www.stdavids.com.

Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia/Texas Cardiovascular Founded in 1996 by Rodney P. Horton, M.D., Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia, now a division of Texas Cardiovascular, has performed thousands of electrophysiology procedures and cared for thousands of patients, providing state-of-the-art care in Texas as well as in Central and South America. The team participates in clinical research, offering patients the latest technology while ensuring that physicians remain on the cutting edge. For more information about clinics throughout Austin and surrounding countries, as well as in Waco, Bryan, College Station, San Angelo, Temple, Killeen, Corpus Christi, Laredo and Odessa-please visit www.TCAheart.com.

Founded in 1995, Texas Cardiovascular believes the successful delivery of effective cardiovascular care and health management depends on the establishment of a close working relationship with the patient, the availability of all of the latest diagnostic technologies, and physicians trained in all state-of-the-art techniques to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease. With more than 35 physicians and seven full-time offices, Texas Cardiovascular cares for patients throughout Central Texas and statewide.