Opening in June, the $20 million, 79,000-square-foot heart center will provide immediate access from the Emergency department, where many cardiac problems are first diagnosed in the Chest Pain Center. The heart center will have two levels and a helicopter pad on the rooftop.

The first floor will house all nonsurgical procedures, including cardiac cath labs, echocardiology, nuclear cardiology, stress-testing and the Cardiac Rehabilitation department. The second level will feature an auditorium for physician seminars and events.

Western Baptist pioneered open-heart surgery in the region in 1985 and now performs more surgeries, heart catheterizations, angioplasties and pacemakers than any other hospital in the area.