Contact: Julie Hennen, Fairview Southdale Hospital, 952-924-5065, jhennen2@fairview.org

Effective immediately, Minnesota Heart and Vascular Center has changed its name to Fairview Southdale Heart and Vascular Center. The name change clarifies the center’s location.

The members of Fairview Southdale Heart and Vascular Center are the Minnesota Heart Clinic, Minneapolis Clinic of Neurology, Minnesota Vascular Clinic, Cardiac Surgical Associates and Fairview Southdale Hospital. The center opened in 2001.

"The name Fairview Southdale Heart and Vascular Center provides a more concise and clearer understanding of not only who we are, but also where we are located. We also believe that this name will help us further establish our life-saving identity within our community, and throughout the upper Midwest," said Gary Strong, president Fairview Southdale Hospital. "Market research completed in the last year shows that our public thinks highly of us for cardiac care and stroke, but attributes those services to the hospital. Renaming our collective services will only enhance our standing in the community."

"While we have grown in many ways to become a clinical leader in heart, stroke and vascular care in the country, we have fought an uphill battle to establish the Minnesota Heart and Vascular Center name in our community. Ultimately, our referring physicians, our staff and our community associate MHVC with our geographic location at Fairview Southdale Hospital," said Susan Mullaney, V.P. Vascular, Cardiac, Radiology Services, Fairview Southdale Hospital.

Fairview Southdale Heart and Vascular Center serves more than 40,000 patients a year and performs thousands of surgeries, including bypass, valve replacements, valve repairs, angiograms, angioplasties and insertion of drug-coated stents. In addition, it is one of the first heart and vascular centers in the country to offer mitral valve repair, a procedure that enables patients to return to their normal lifestyles, without the need for lifelong anticoagulant medication.