Canonsburg General offers cardio care close to home
In an effort to bring more patient care to Washington County, Canonsburg General Hospital is now offering cardiovascular care at the hospital in North Strabane Township and at the outpatient care center at 160 Gallery Drive in Peters Township.
Drs. Yadavendra S. Rajawat and Travis Wilson have teamed as part of the hospital’s Cardiovascular Institute.
Offered close to home are stress tests, both physical and nuclear, echocardiograms, vascular studies, both lower and carotid, and office visits.
“It’s for patient convenience, here or there” Rajawat said in his Canonsburg General Hospital office. Wilson had just become a new father and was unable to make the interview.
“It’s downtown sophistication right in the neighborhood,” Rajawat said.
No surgery is performed at either location. However, surgeons at Allegheny General Hospital and West Penn Hospital, both in Pittsburgh, will be available for a local consultation, Rajawat said.
And, as for Rajawat and Wilson, Saturday office hours will be provided for those patients who can’t make visits during weekday hours.
“The patient is the most important thing for us,” Rajawat said.
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer for both men and women in the United States, with cancer No. 2 and strokes No. 3.
The Cardiovascular Institute also offers tests and evaluation for circulatory problems, which can also be attributed to heart disease.
“Fifty percent of patients don’t know they have vascular disease as there are usually no symptoms,” Rajawat said.
However, there are symptoms, such as pain on walking.
“Thirty percent of physicians don’t pay attention to symptoms (of circulatory diesase) if the patient doesn’t tell them,” Rajawat said. “The biggest symptom is pain, so tell your doctor. It is very simple to diagnose and to treat.”
Poor circulation is usually the result of a blockage that can be detected through CAT scans or a MRI or through a doppler test.
If detected, a blockage in the arms or legs can be relieved through the same procedures used to open blocks near the heart using balloons or stents that remove the plaque, just like in the heart, he said.
The easiest way to reach either Rajawat or Wilson is to call 724-873-5836.