In the News: Cardiac Surgery Program at St. Joseph Hospital Featured
Patient Appreciation Event Huge Success as Providers and Patients Express Thanks, Gratitude
Dr. George Zibilich, a retired emergency medicine physician, was on the opposite side of the sliding glass door at Providence St. Joseph Hospital’s emergency department last May. Dr. Zibilich was in the unusual position of needing emergency care instead of delivering it.
“It was a unique experience to say the least,” said the 42-year resident of Humboldt County and avid off-road bicyclist. “Fortunately, once tests were done and we found out what was going on, I received excellent care from well-trained physicians and staff.”
The tests showed Dr. Zibilich’s heart was having trouble pumping blood efficiently because of severe leakage in his mitral heart valve and fluid was backing up into his lungs, and even impacting other valves in his heart. He was so short of breath at rest that he could not lie flat.
“George was very sick when he presented to the ED and remained so until his operation” said Dr. Joseph Arcidi, Jr., a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon and Dr. Zibilich’s surgeon.
Dr. Zibilich, now a patient, needed immediate, expert cardiac care – the type of clinical expertise typically reserved for urban university medical centers like those in the Bay Area or Sacramento.
Fortunately for Dr. Zibilich and other cardiac patients in Humboldt County, since January 2021, Dr. Arcidi, a highly experienced cardiac surgeon, has been the medical director of the cardiac surgery program and co-director of the Heart Institute at St. Joseph Hospital. Since his arrival, the cardiac surgery program has reached new heights. Quality outcomes are among the highest across Providence’s 51 hospitals.
I was attracted to the amazing cardiology group here and our shared interest in re-shaping cardiac care to serve our community,” said Arcidi, a Johns Hopkins Medical School graduate whose nearly 30-year cardiac surgical career followed his training at Massachusetts General Hospital, Emory University and the Cleveland Clinic. “Together with our cardiac anesthesiology colleagues, the OR heart team, and our ICU team here in Eureka, we were able to keep George close to home and still receive expert clinical care.”
Dr. Zibilich and other grateful cardiac surgery patients and their families gathered for an inaugural Cardiac Surgery Patient Appreciation Luncheon hosted by Arcidi and the cardiac surgery program on Friday, April 14 at the Wharfinger Building in Eureka.
"This was a reunion for us and these patients who have honored our program and presents an opportunity for patients to connect and share lived experiences, many of whom have never met anyone who has had open-heart surgery,” continued Arcidi. “Additionally, it’s our chance to share the success of the program with them and thank them for entrusting us with their care.”
For patients like Dr. Zibilich, who returned to bicycling in short order, he’s especially grateful for the high-quality care close to home.
“We are truly so fortunate in Humboldt County to have an excellent cardiovascular surgery department and ICU so that we don’t have to leave the area to have surgery.”
“This was a reunion for us and these patients who have honored our program and presented an opportunity for patients to connect and share lived experiences, many of whom have never met anyone who has had open-heart surgery,” continued Arcidi. “Additionally, (it was) our chance to share the success of the program with them and thank them for entrusting us with their care.”
For patients like Dr. Zibilich, who returned to bicycling in short order, he’s especially grateful for the high-quality care close to home.
“We are truly so fortunate in Humboldt County to have an excellent cardiovascular surgery department and ICU so that we don’t have to leave the area to have surgery.”
***Local media covered the event. To view stories, see below***
