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Frank Lippolis has his life back thanks to St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital (SLCH) and one of the most sophisticated technologies available today in patient care.

Dr. Mehul Patel, a cardiologist at SLCH, used the AliveCor Heart Monitor to diagnose and treat Frank’s atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a condition in which the upper chambers of the heart beat irregularly, causing symptoms such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath, weakness, dizziness, and chest pain.

Using the heart monitor, Dr. Patel quickly diagnosed Frank’s condition when Frank was showing signs of being in a-fib, therefore saving Frank several diagnostic tests and a potential hospital admission. The monitor connects to an Apple-, Microsoft-, or Android-based mobile device and allows the user to produce a 30-second heart rhythm that can be e-mailed directly to a physician.

Whenever the results are identified as atrial fibrillation, Dr. Patel arranges to meet Frank at the SLCH Cardiac Catheterization Lab for outpatient Electrical Cardioversion, which restores Frank’s normal heart rhythm. Frank was even able to return to work the same day after one such treatment.

The ability to diagnose and treat quickly is especially critical when dealing with atrial fibrillation. If the episode is not recognized and treated in a timely manner, several steps must be taken to ensure that no blood clot is present before restoring a normal heart rhythm.

“I don’t want to hear that I can’t do something because of an inability with my body,” Frank says. “When he gave me this device, Dr. Patel told me, ‘Go back to your life.’ To have my cardiologist tell me to go back to my life is pretty great.”

St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital is “With You for Life.” Hear more patients’ stories by visiting www.stlukescornwallhospital.org/patientstories.

St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital (SLCH) is a not-for-profit healthcare system committed to serving the needs of those in the Hudson Valley. With dedicated staff, modern facilities, and high-quality care, SLCH provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services to the community. SLCH is a Level III Trauma Center and operates one of the busiest Emergency Departments between New York City and Albany, with just under 5,000 visits per month at the hospital’s Newburgh campus.

In 2014, SLCH became the only hospital in New York State to achieve the Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award for four years running. SLCH was also named one of the Top Hospitals in NYS by U.S. News & World Report. As healthcare delivery continues to change, SLCH is focused on the Triple Aim: learning to work more efficiently, better coordinating services among providers, and delivering safe, high-quality care within the walls of the hospital and out in the community.

St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital
www.stlukescornwallhospital.org
www.facebook.com/stlukescornwallhospital

Newburgh Campus
70 DuBois St.
Newburgh, NY
845-561-4400

Cornwall Campus
19 Laurel Ave.
Cornwall, NY
845-534-7711

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