St. Bernards Enhances Heart, Vascular Care in Greene County with New Clinic and Diagnostic Center

PARAGOULD, Ark.  – St. Bernards Healthcare officially expanded its cardiovascular footprint in Greene County on Thursday, opening a new clinic and a diagnostic center in Paragould Medical Park for its heart and vascular care services.

The expansion brings a permanent, comprehensive cardiac presence to Paragould, providing residents with streamlined access to specialized heart care and advanced testing without the need to travel outside the community. During the ceremony, St. Bernards announced that a new heart catheterization (cath) lab is currently under construction at the site, with a scheduled opening later this spring.

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“Our goal has always been to bring the highest level of care directly to the patients we serve,” said Connie Hill, St. Bernards Vice President of HeartCare, Emergency and Perioperative Services. “By establishing a dedicated clinic and diagnostic center here in Paragould, we ensure that Greene County resident have immediate access to life-saving screenings and specialized consultations with the region’s top heart care team. The addition of the heart cath lab this spring will further enhance those capabilities, allowing for more complex procedures to be performed right here in Paragould Medical Park.”

The new Diagnostic Center offers a wide array of non-invasive testing, including echocardiograms, stress testing and vascular studies. These services work in tandem with the Heart & Vascular clinic, where a team of providers manages chronic conditions, performs preoperative evaluations and coordinates long-term cardiac wellness.

Dr. Ammar Hallak, an Interventional Cardiologist with St. Bernards who has lived and practiced medicine in Paragould since 2000, emphasized the impact that local access has on patient outcomes.

“In cardiology, time is important, but so is consistency of care,” Dr. Hallak said. “Having these diagnostic tools and clinical expertise in one centralized Paragould location allows us to identify and treat cardiovascular issues much earlier. We are excited to grow our relationship with this community and provide our patients with the convenience they deserve alongside the advanced technology they need.”

Once completed this spring, the new cath lab will allow St. Bernards specialists and subspecialists to perform minimally invasive procedures that diagnose and treat blood flow issues, further reducing the necessity for patient transfers to Jonesboro for routine heart and vascular care.

• St. Bernards Healthcare serves as the corporate parent of a number of healthcare entities. It includes three hospitals, including northeast Arkansas and southeast Missouri’s largest referral hub, St. Bernards Medical Center. For more information, please visit stbernards.info.
• Paragould Medical Park provides Paragould and surrounding Greene County with a comprehensive healthcare center, bringing expert medical providers together under one roof. St. Bernards’ presence includes clinics that specialize in primary care/urgent care services, cancer care, heart care, urology, pregnancy care and more. For more information, visit paragould.stbernards.info.