Anne Arundel Medical Center has won the bid to host the state’s new cardiac surgery program after a favorable vote on Thursday from Maryland Health Care Commission.
AAMC beat out University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center for the approval after a nearly two-year battle. Both hospitals applied for new cardiac programs back in 2015, but state officials said the demand for open heart procedures is only high enough for one to be approved.
“We are very pleased with the decision and appreciative of all the time and effort that went into the review,” AAMC’s CEO Victoria Bayless said after the vote. “Now we can open up access and improve continuity of cardiac care for the county.”
She said Anne Arundel was the largest county in Maryland without a cardiac surgery program. And now, AAMC will no longer have to send hundreds of patients per year to other facilities for necessary cardiac care. The program will also be able to serve residents from the Upper Shore area who have limited access to such care.