East Campus Cardiology Department 1

The Department of Cardiology of Qingdao Municipal Hospital was established in 1956. It was the first in the province to implement a heart center management model and unified management of the east and west campuses, and was among the first group of key disciplines in Qingdao’s healthcare system. In 2008, it was designated a Key Specialty in Medicine and Health of Shandong Province. The department currently has 100 beds and 81 staff members, including 37 physicians and 44 nurses. Among the physicians, 3 hold senior professional titles, 14 hold associate senior professional titles, 9 hold intermediate professional titles, and 11 hold junior professional titles. Age distribution: the staff are predominantly young and middle-aged; 6 are under 30 years old, 15 are aged 30–40, 13 are aged 40–50, and 3 are aged 50–60. Educational background: 11 hold doctoral degrees, 17 hold master’s degrees, and 9 hold bachelor’s degrees. The department is equipped with 2 fully outfitted cardiac catheterization laboratories, including 4 advanced coronary angiography systems, CARTO, a multichannel electrophysiology system, IVUS, FFR, ECG monitors, defibrillators, and other equipment.

The scope of diagnosis and treatment includes:

Interventional treatment of coronary heart disease

The department is primarily engaged in interventional treatment of acute coronary syndrome and has conducted in-depth research on complex lesions, including chronic total occlusions, bypass graft lesions after CABG, and bifurcation lesions. It was the first in the province to promote the use of thrombus aspiration in emergency PCI for acute myocardial infarction, as well as the use of FFR, IVUS, and other technologies for borderline coronary lesions, multivessel lesions, and bifurcation lesions.

Arrhythmias

The department performs radiofrequency ablation for various types of tachyarrhythmias, as well as various types of cardiac pacing for bradyarrhythmias. It was among the earliest in China to perform physiologic rate-responsive pacemaker implantation, atrial septal and high ventricular septal pacing, and cardiac resynchronization therapy for drug-refractory heart failure, and it completed one of the earliest transvenous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation procedures in China. In catheter ablation, the department routinely performs radiofrequency ablation for various types of supraventricular tachycardia, premature ventricular contractions, and monomorphic ventricular tachycardia. It currently collaborates with Shanghai Chest Hospital to promote catheter ablation for difficult and complex arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia associated with structural heart disease.

Structural heart disease

The department routinely performs interventional treatment for various types of congenital heart disease, including percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects, percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus, percutaneous closure of ventricular septal defects, and balloon valvuloplasty for congenital pulmonary valve stenosis. It was the first in the province to perform hybrid medical-surgical treatment for complex congenital heart disease.

Treatment Features/Technical Strengths

Interventional treatment of coronary heart disease

This specialty was among the earliest in China to perform coronary interventions. Over the past 3 years, a total of 3,376 cardiovascular angiography procedures and nearly 1,000 PCI procedures were performed, including 403 PCI procedures in 2011. The department is primarily engaged in interventional treatment of acute coronary syndrome. Over the past 3 years, it has completed more than 300 emergency PCI procedures for acute myocardial infarction; established a green channel to shorten the time to reperfusion of infarct-related vessels; used thrombus aspiration catheters to improve myocardial tissue perfusion; and implemented clinical pathway management, thereby improving treatment efficiency, shortening hospital stays, and reducing medical costs. By developing stratified intervention methods and treatment strategies for non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, it reduced mortality and improved prognosis. For patients with complex and high-risk coronary heart disease, such as left main coronary artery lesions, chronic total occlusions, and multivessel lesions, as well as patients with chronic cardiac insufficiency, renal insufficiency, or diabetes, the department routinely conducts case discussions with cardiac surgery to develop individualized treatment strategies. The use of staged procedures, hybrid surgery, and other methods has improved procedural success rates and clinical outcomes. The application of intravascular ultrasound and FFR has optimized treatment strategies for borderline coronary lesions and multivessel lesions. Transradial intervention is actively performed to improve patient comfort and reduce procedural complications. A hospitalization information database has been established for patients undergoing interventional treatment for coronary heart disease, and all patients receive preoperative and postoperative health education and follow-up.

Arrhythmias

This specialty was among the earliest in the province to perform radiofrequency ablation for various types of tachyarrhythmias and various types of cardiac pacing for bradyarrhythmias. It is currently the center with the highest annual number of pacemaker implantations in Qingdao. More than 200 pacemakers of various types are implanted annually. The department was among the earliest in China to perform physiologic rate-responsive pacemaker implantation, atrial septal and high ventricular septal pacing, and cardiac resynchronization therapy for drug-refractory heart failure, and it completed one of the earliest transvenous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation procedures in China. In catheter ablation, the department routinely performs radiofrequency ablation for various types of supraventricular tachycardia, premature ventricular contractions, and monomorphic ventricular tachycardia. Currently, more than 100 radiofrequency ablation procedures are performed annually, with a success rate of 97%, placing the department at the leading level in the province. It currently collaborates with Shanghai Chest Hospital to promote catheter ablation for difficult and complex arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia associated with structural heart disease.

Structural heart disease

The team is highly proficient in diagnosing and managing various types of congenital heart disease and valvular heart disease. It has extensive experience in the interventional and surgical treatment of complex congenital heart disease and valvular disease, and was the first in the province to perform hybrid medical-surgical treatment for complex congenital heart disease. The department routinely performs interventional treatment for various types of congenital heart disease, including percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects, percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus, percutaneous closure of ventricular septal defects, and balloon valvuloplasty for congenital pulmonary valve stenosis. More than 50 interventional procedures are performed annually, with a high procedural success rate.

The Department of Cardiology attaches great importance to talent development and the establishment of a talent pipeline.

1. Personnel within the discipline are trained in 2 stages:

1）Junior cardiology physician training stage: In accordance with the training standards for cardiovascular specialists issued by the Ministry of Health, the Department of Cardiology has formulated a training plan for the specialist physician stage. The training lasts 3 years and requires physicians to complete comprehensive and systematic cardiology training, enabling them to master the professional theoretical knowledge and specialized skills of cardiovascular diseases. Specific requirements include completion of clinical training in the outpatient department, emergency department, CCU, ICU, cardiac surgery, respiratory medicine, endocrinology, and other related departments (1 year); rotations through auxiliary departments, including the ECG laboratory, ultrasound department, radiology department, and interventional department (6 months); 6 months as chief resident; and 1 year of basic cardiac intervention training.

2）Training of core personnel in subspecialties: Training is mainly provided through overseas training and training at Ministry of Health interventional diagnosis and treatment centers. Overseas training is divided into short-term training (3 months) and medium- to long-term training (6 months–1 year). Over the past 5 years, 6 staff members have been sent abroad for training at major medical centers in Germany, the United States, Canada, and other countries. Over the past 2 years, the department has strengthened the focused training of young physicians; 5 staff members have undergone training at Ministry of Health interventional diagnosis and treatment centers, of whom 4 have completed their training.

In addition to clinical work, the department places emphasis on teaching and research. Over the past 3 years, it has undertaken 1 National Natural Science Foundation of China project and 6 scientific research projects at the provincial, municipal, and bureau levels; published more than 40 academic papers in national-level journals, including 6 indexed by SCI; published 15 medical books; received 7 provincial- and municipal-level Science and Technology Progress Awards; and obtained 6 patents.

The department currently serves as a postgraduate training site and an undergraduate clinical observation and internship hospital for Qingdao University Medical College, Dalian Medical University, Weifang Medical University, and Taishan Medical University. It trains 3–4 master’s students annually and receives nearly 100 undergraduate clinical observers and interns each year. The department places great importance on clinical teaching and regularly holds teaching ward rounds and academic lectures. On the basis of strengthening its current teaching and research programs, it aims to apply for designation as a doctoral training site for one medical school within 3 years.

The Departments of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery of Qingdao Municipal Hospital were among the first in China to implement a unified heart center management model. By strengthening cooperation with major domestic and international cardiac diagnosis and treatment centers, they have established an internationalized, institutionalized, standardized, and patient-centered management system. In 1996, as the first “holistic nursing model ward” at the Municipal Hospital, the department took the lead in implementing holistic, “patient-centered” nursing. In 2010, during the “Quality Nursing Service” initiative proposed by the Ministry of Health, its strong foundation built over many years enabled it to become one of the first “Quality Nursing Service Demonstration Wards” at Qingdao Municipal Hospital. In 2011, it received more than 200 visitors from across the country who came to observe and study quality nursing services. As a Qingdao Workers’ Pioneer Post and a National Women’s Merit and Civilization Post, the department has leveraged its high degree of cohesion and execution capacity to comprehensively implement quality nursing services in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s *Standards for the Implementation of Quality Nursing Services in Hospitals (Trial)*. It continues to pursue reform and innovation, constantly promoting the refinement, precision, and depth of nursing work, providing patients with high-quality nursing services, earning patient satisfaction, family trust, and social recognition. The department has also been awarded the honors of “Advanced Department,” “Department Most Satisfactory to Patients,” and “Outstanding Brand Department” by the hospital for many consecutive years. The team of Communist Party members has been awarded the honors of “Outstanding Party Group,” “Outstanding Responsibility Area for Party Members,” and “Pioneer Post for Party Members.”

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Editing time: 2026/5/20 15:43:59