Technology & Awards

Medical Firsts

  • 1st to perform AngioVac procedure
  • 1st in area to offer the world's smallest pacemaker.
  • 1st in area to offer ECMO.
  • 1st and only Baptist Heart & Vascular Institute is the only area health care provider with a cath lab fully staffed with registered cardiovascular invasive specialists (RCIS) and registered cardiac electrophysiology specialists (RCES).
  • 1st to offer MitraClip for transcatheter mitral valve repair.
  • 1st and only to offer transaortic valve replacement. More than 100 procedures completed and counting.
  • 1st to offer the world’s smallest heart pump
  • 1st to offer procedure for Coronary Chronic Occlusions, an alternative to bypass surgery
  • 1st and only to offer minimally invasive heart valve surgery
  • 1st catheterization laboratory in Gulf Breeze, Fla.
  • 1st Heart Rhythm Center in region
  • 1st and only to offer minimally invasive structural heart repair
  • 1st Transmyocardial Revascularization (TMR) laser procedure
  • 1st use of laser for heart revascularization
  • 1st off-pump bypass operation
  • 1st coronary care unit in the Southeast
  • 1st balloon angioplasty

Latest News & Advancements

National Recognition

  • Intersocietal Accreditation Commission full accreditation for echocardiography in the areas of adult transthoracic and adult stress.
  • Intersocietal Accreditation Commission full accreditation for echocardiography in the areas of nuclear cardiology for Adult Transesophageal Echo.
  • American College of Cardiology Foundation’s NCDR ACTION Registry GWTG Platinum Performance Achievement Award, (2013)
  • American College of Cardiology Foundation’s NCDR ACTION Registry GWTG Platinum Performance Achievement Award, (2012)
  • American College of Cardiology Foundation’s NCDR ACTION Registry GWTG Gold Performance Achievement Award, (2011)
  • American College of Cardiology Foundation’s NCDR ACTION Registry GWTG Silver Performance Achievement Award, (2010)
  • Mission: Lifeline STEMI — Receiving Center Silver Performance Award, (2013)
  • Mission: Lifeline STEMI — Receiving Center Bronze Performance Award, (2010)

IAC Echocardiography and Nuclear Cardiology Award Recognition

The Heart & Vascular Institute’s Cardiodiagnostics Department was granted full accreditation for Echocardiography in the areas of Adult Transthoracic and Adult Stress as well as for Nuclear Cardiology by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission. This accreditation was received for Baptist Hospital, Gulf Breeze Hospital, and Baptist Medical Park – Nine Mile. The facilities were critiqued on all aspects of operations, technical skill, quality imaging, on-going education, quality metrics, medical staff review, medical staff interpretation, and reporting. Baptist and Gulf Breeze hospitals also have received an additional accreditation for Adult Transesophageal Echo.

Intersocietal Accreditation Commission Accredited Facility for Echocardiography