KPLC 7 News, Lake Charles, Louisiana |New Cath Lab at Jennings American Legion Hospital

New Cath Lab at Jennings American Legion Hospital

Reported by: Britney Glaser

22 million American men and women have some form of coronary or peripheral artery disease. Without treating the disease, the risks of heart attack and stroke are much higher. 

But, until now, patients living between Lake Charles and Lafayette had to make a long trip down the road to receive care.  "For patients living in Jennings, for patients nearby, to have families have to drive you 40-45 miles away," says Kellie Leger, a registered nurse at Jennings American Legion Hospital, "it really was an inconvenience for these patients."

We've seen Jeff Davis Parish expand over the past year, from the Verenium Plant in Jennings to the Sugar Mill in Lacassine and two textile mills.  JALH CEO, Terry Terrebonne, says in order to see this economic development continue, healthcare services must also expand.  "They're going to demand that the basic services be expanded," says Terrebonne, "we are trying to meet that need as we move forward with our economic development programs."

The hospital is revolutionizing it's services by building a state-of-the-art cath lab to make heart care available in the Jennings area.  Leger will be the new lab's manager.  "We're gonna be able to do coronary diagnostic cases, as well as peripheral diagnostic and intervention," says Leger."

The system will allow cardiologists the ability to literally see every artery from head to toe as they look for diseases.  "We have a Toshiba dual plane system," says Leger, "and this table allows us to have one eye for the coronary images and a separate eye for the peripheral images."

Five cardiologists will be available at the cath lab, under the medical direction of Dr. Richard Gilmore, a familiar face for many heart patients in Southwest Louisiana.  "We do have cardiologists coming in from Lake Charles," says Leger, "so we'll have a cardiologist here five days a week, we also have an in-town vascular surgeon that is going to be able to take care of all of our peripheral patients."

Jennings American Legion Hospital's Cath Lab will open Monday, July 7th. If you are interested in learning more about their services, call 337-616-7360.