Lovelace Health System

Today, we celebrated the third anniversary of the Cardiogenic Shock Program at Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center (HHNM). We invited one of our patients, Vincent Ratliff, along with his family and friends, to thank his care team and Dr. Raymond Yau, interventional cardiologist for New Mexico Heart Institute/Lovelace Medical Group, and the program’s director, for saving his life when he went into cardiogenic shock. Cardiogenic shock is a life-threatening condition in which the heart is in a low cardiac output state, resulting in end-organ hypo-perfusion and hypoxia. Most commonly, cardiogenic shock happens because of a severe heart attack, but it may also occur due to other illnesses. Regardless of cause, if not treated promptly, the condition can become fatal or cause serious complications. Patients in cardiogenic shock require rapid treatment in order to make sure blood flow to vital organs are restored. Visit https://lnkd.in/gQkr49Rp to learn more about HHNM’s only multi-disciplinary Cardiogenic Shock Program in the southwest region of the country, which helps drastically improve outcomes for our patients.

April marks the start of #stress awareness month. Stress is a natural response that everyone experiences, but prolonged stress can have detrimental impacts on physical and mental health. This month, take time to focus on and promote healthy coping mechanisms. Dr. Mel Peralta, New Mexico Heart Institute/Lovelace Medical Group cardiologist, shares the importance of managing stress, the potential impacts on heart health and his suggested ways to relax.

Kickstart your nursing career with confidence! Join us for a virtual webinar on Thursday, May 1, from 4 - 5 p.m. MT, designed to help you excel in your first RN job interview. Learn from seasoned recruiters about crafting a standout resume, acing interview questions and mastering post-interview follow-ups. Don't miss out—RSVP now at https://ow.ly/Eb8j50VEKjA.

We love our new artwork at Lovelace Regional Hospital! We invite you to check out these pieces from some very talented Pre-K students from Roswell Independent School District next time you’re in our lobby.

We have exciting news! Jay Sundheimer, RN, MSN, has been named chief nursing officer (CNO) of Lovelace Westside Hospital (LWSH). Sundheimer brings over 17 years of nursing experience with him. He has decades of nursing and leadership experience and a vast understanding of healthcare regulations, compliance, operations, patient care standards and industry trends. Learn more about the key role Jay will play in enhancing clinical operations and supporting quality care initiatives for the hospital, as it remains dedicated to caring for the communities of Rio Rancho and Albuquerque’s Westside. Join us in welcoming Jay to Lovelace!

Gaylene Tool, occupational therapist at Lovelace UNM Rehabilitation Hospital (LURH), has been elected president of the New Mexico Occupational Therapy Association. April is Occupational Therapy Month and we are excited to announce this important appointment for Gaylene, which started in January of this year and extends through December 2026. In addition to working at LURH, she has been working as a temporary adjunct faculty for the UNM Occupational Therapy Graduate Program since 2020 and assists Dr. W. Austin Davis in teaching the Certified Brain Injury Specialist course. In February, Gaylene and a fellow OT who also works at Lovelace Medical Center, Mary Thelander-Hill, wrote an article that was published in the February 2025 edition of OT Practice Magazine.

Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center (HHNM) today announced it successfully implanted Esprit™ BTK Everolimus Eluting Resorbable Scaffold System (Esprit™ BTK System), a first-of-its-kind dissolvable stent for people with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) below-the-knee (BTK). Trent Proffitt, MD, vascular surgeon with New Mexico Heart Institute/Lovelace Medical Group implanted the Esprit BTK System, which works to keep arteries open and deliver a drug called everolimus to support vessel healing prior to dissolving. Visit https://ow.ly/w2bV50VB27H to learn more about this new step forward in below-the-knee, limb-saving therapy, which supports healing while reducing the risk of long-term complications.

Lovelace is proud to be the only health system in the state of New Mexico with four daVinci 5 surgical robots in use, with three surgical robots located at Lovelace Women’s Hospital (LWH) and one located at Lovelace Medical Center (LMC). Lovelace Westside Hospital (LWSH) is home to the daVinci Xi surgical robot. The daVinci Surgical System provides surgeons with an effective, minimally invasive option for complex procedures. Robotic surgery has many potential benefits compared to traditional open surgery, including less pain, less scarring, shorter hospital stays, and a faster return to daily activities. Learn more about the state-of-the-art treatment options for our patients and how these procedures help restore quality of life and change lives.

Join our team! We are hosting a hiring event on Thursday, April 24 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Topgolf Albuquerque. We're hiring across all Lovelace Health System locations for various positions, including RNs, medical assistants, patient care techs, imaging roles, therapy roles and more. RSVP today at https://lnkd.in/gN7axBiD. Walk-ins are welcome. Free food, drink and golf play will be offered. You may be eligible for a sign-on bonus. Don't miss this chance to make a difference in the lives of our patients while advancing your career. We hope to see you there!

KRQE NEWS 13/FOX New Mexico sat down with Dr. Mark Bieniarz, an interventional cardiologist with New Mexico Heart Institute/Lovelace Medical Group, to chat about a study that the Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center (HHNM) is participating in for those suffering from heart failure. CORCINCH-HF, a multi-year clinical trial for the AccuCinch, is a product that can help reduce the size of the heart’s left ventricle, giving a better treatment option for patients with heart failure symptoms and increasing their life expectancy. Learn more about HHNM’s commitment to clinical studies and how they work to bring the highest quality of cardiovascular care to our state.