Innovative Studies Focused on Keeping Your Heart Healthy
Rochester Regional Health’s Sands-Constellation Heart Institute is at the leading edge of heart research and clinical trials in the Greater Rochester region. Top cardiologists and researchers from Rochester General Hospital's Center for Clinical Research are working together to find new approaches for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.
Rochester General Hospital is the only local hospital to have interventional cardiologists participating in device trials. This includes several studies investigating if non-surgical devices such as stents and the WATCHMAN could be used in more ways or for different conditions, as well as studies comparing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) to other treatment options.
This groundbreaking research helps us continue to offer the latest in heart care and to treat each patient in our community as an individual.
Our Heart Research Team
Our heart research team is made up of full-time staff in Rochester who are dedicated to finding the latest breakthroughs in the diagnosis, treatment and understanding of heart conditions. We regularly earn sponsorship for cutting-edge studies, allowing us to put more patients into clinical trials than other institutions and give more patients the opportunity to find options for their heart health.
The heart research team at Rochester Regional Health includes:
- A cardiologist who directs the patient’s cardiac care throughout the course of the study
- A full-time acute-care nurse practitioner with 27+ years of experience in research; she specializes in critical care, surgery and cardiac (drug/device) research
- Three full-time clinical research nurses with a collective 33+ years of experience running sponsored medical clinical research and NIH studies from top to bottom, in numerous disciplines
- A clinical research associate with a biomedical background and years of hands-on patient experience
- A clinical research administrator with more than 15 years of experience in the research realm
Patient Participation in Heart Clinical Trials
Patients enrolled in clinical research at Rochester Regional Health are generally those who seek to prevent or improve a heart condition or keep one from worsening. We educate and encourage these patients to understand their options and ask questions, so they are best able to make an informed decision about participation in a clinical trial.
During the study, our nurse practitioner will communicate with the patient’s primary care physician and cardiologist. The goal is two-part: to keep them informed about his or her participation in the study, and to ensure treatments they’re receiving don’t negatively interact with treatments or devices in the study.
A patient in a clinical study may receive more diagnostic testing than is standard, at no cost to them. Staff also provide education and one-on-one training about devices and treatments relevant to the study.
For many patients, participation in a clinical trial means searching for options to benefit their health. Others also want to take part in research to contribute to advancement of medicine for all. Here, we make both things possible.
Contact Us
To participate in a clinical trial or to learn more about research at Rochester General, contact us at (585) 922-3536. Please note that these trials are not for healthy volunteers. The studies we offer are for patients experiencing symptoms of the disease state addressed in the trial. Thank you for your interest in medical clinical research!