Sampson Regional Medical Center has expanded the availability of cardiology services to include a full-time consulting specialist for inpatient care.

Through its collaboration with UNC Rex Healthcare, the growth of inpatient cardiology services will also mean improved access to outpatient cardiology care at North Carolina Heart & Vascular’s Clinton office.

Dr. Robert Kastner joined Dr. Bill Newman in September, for inpatient and outpatient services.

“My first month has been great,” Kastner said. “Sampson Regional Medical Center’s staff are very professional and truly care about their patients.”

Dr. Kastner is Board Certified in Cardiovascular Diseases and Internal Medicine and practices as a general cardiologist with specialization in consultative cardiology, cardiovascular imaging, and preventive cardiology. He will work closely with admitting physicians, hospitalists, ER physicians, and other specialists to focus on patients in the hospital with cardiac issues.

“I am able to see a wide spectrum of cardiology inpatient consults at SRMC. As a Board-Certified CV Specialist, I am comfortable with most cardiology diseases. For those patients that may fall out of the spectrum of care that can be provided at Sampson Regional, arrangements for timely transfers to a tertiary care medical facility will be made,” added Kastner.

While Sampson Regional has long been the county’s anchor for emergency services, acute care, and other specialty care, inpatients with chest pain or other heart related symptoms have often been transferred to a tertiary care facility where they could be monitored by a cardiologist. Making this expertise and skill set available full-time better equips Sampson Regional to provide more timely consults and keep patients close to home while still ensuring the level of care that’s right for them.

“Being an inpatient cardiology consulting specialist with SRMC allows patients to remain local to receive care that previously were transferred to other tertiary care facilities, while also allowing patients to receive outpatient care for both new visits and follow-ups through North Carolina Heart and Vascular’s Clinton office,” explained Kastner.

For patients, their family, and caregivers this means easing the burden of travel, which sometimes leads to greater stress, time away from work, financial hardship, and less compliance with follow up appointments.

Kastner approaches his patients as he would want his family treated.

“Making patients feel at ease and well informed is my goal.”

SRMC looks forward to introducing Kastner along with the hospital’s newest providers at Sampson Regional’s Provider Meet and Greet on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 5:30-7 p.m. at The Ashford Inn.

Kastner
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From SRMC Staff