Cardiology Care at Decatur County Hospital

Exceptional Heart Care, Right Here in Decatur County

At Decatur County Hospital, we believe where you live shouldn’t determine the level of specialty care you can access.

Over the past several years, we’ve continued listening to our community and using that feedback to guide how we grow. One need has remained clear: greater access to high-quality cardiovascular care close to home.

We’ve responded by continuing to strengthen our cardiology services and bringing highly experienced cardiovascular specialists directly to Decatur County. Today, patients can access advanced heart and vascular expertise from Dr. Mehta and Andrew J. Kaplan, MD through Decatur County Hospital.

For our patients, that means less travel, greater access to specialists, and exceptional cardiovascular care available right here in our community.

Comprehensive Cardiovascular Care

Our cardiology team provides evaluation and ongoing care for a wide range of heart and vascular conditions, including:

• Atrial fibrillation and other abnormal heart rhythms
• Heart failure
• Symptoms following a cardiac event
• Structural heart disease
• Congenital heart conditions
• Peripheral artery disease
• Chronic venous disease
• Heart valve conditions
• Cardiovascular disease and risk factors
• Other complex heart and vascular concerns

Whether you need answers about new symptoms, ongoing management of a heart condition, or specialized cardiovascular expertise, our goal is to make the care you need easier to access.

Dr. Steven Mehta

As an interventional cardiologist, Dr. Mehta brings specialized cardiovascular care directly to patients at Decatur County Hospital.

He works with patients experiencing conditions such as atrial fibrillation, abnormal heart rhythms, structural heart disease, peripheral artery disease, chronic venous disease, valve stenosis, post-cardiac event symptoms, and more.

His presence at DCH gives patients access to an experienced cardiovascular specialist without the added burden of routinely traveling outside the area for care.

Andrew J. Kaplan, MD

Andrew J. Kaplan, MD, brings more than 30 years of cardiovascular experience to Decatur County Hospital. He is board-certified in cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology, with extensive expertise in heart rhythm disorders, heart failure, implantable cardiac devices, remote monitoring, and emerging cardiovascular technologies.

Throughout his career, Dr. Kaplan has combined direct patient care with leadership in some of the most advanced areas of cardiovascular medicine.

His experience includes:

• Heart rhythm disorders and atrial fibrillation
• Heart failure management
• Implantable cardiac devices
• Remote cardiac and physiologic monitoring
• Advanced cardiac mapping technologies
• AI-enabled cardiovascular monitoring and predictive technologies
• FDA investigational and post-market clinical trials
• Development of heart failure and atrial fibrillation care pathways

Dr. Kaplan has served as a Heart Rhythm Center Director and Chairman of a Department of Medicine and has held advisory roles with organizations developing innovative cardiovascular technologies, including Avertix Medical, Impulse Dynamics, Kestra Medical Technologies, Octagos Health, ISHI Health, and Biosense Webster.

He also serves as a Captain in the U.S. Navy Reserve Medical Corps, bringing additional experience in medical leadership and operational medicine.

Dr. Kaplan’s addition to DCH represents another important step in our commitment to bringing exceptional specialty care to Decatur County.

Advanced Expertise. Local Access.

Expanding cardiology at Decatur County Hospital isn’t simply about adding appointments. It’s about giving our community access to the caliber of specialists, experience, and cardiovascular expertise patients might otherwise expect to find only in a larger health system or metropolitan area.

You shouldn’t have to travel far from home to receive exceptional heart care. We’re bringing that care to you.

We are currently accepting new cardiology patients. Call 641-446-2285 to schedule an appointment. Depending on your insurance, you may not need a referral.

At Decatur County Hospital we believe in striving to exceed the expectations of our patients, their families, and our community. Our mission is to deliver exceptional care close to home, with a vision to enhance lives and improve health. We are dedicated to providing you with the best care and we continue to expand our services to continue to exceed those expectations.

DCH recently expanded access to cardiologic care for patients in our region by adding available appointments with a provider who is board-certified in both internal medicine and cardiovascular disease.

As an interventional cardiologist, Dr. Steven Mehta, MD, works with patients who live with: atrial fibrillation, post-cardiac event symptoms, abnormal heart rhythms, structural heart disease, congenital heart issues, peripheral artery disease, chronic venous disease, valve stenosis, and more. Dr. Mehta visits the DCH Outpatient Clinic in person twice each month, and we are currently accepting new patients for this service. Don’t miss a beat, call 641-446-2285 to schedule your appointment today.

As technology continues to change and improve, so does the availability of services and equipment  offered at DCH. We will soon offer the testing technology of the Holter monitor. The Holter monitor is a type of portable electrocardiogram (ECG). It records the electrical activity of the heart continuously over twenty-four (24) hours or longer while you are away from the doctor’s office. It is a painless device that is around the size of a cellphone. It can be worn over your shoulder, around your neck, in a pocket, or attached to a belt, and it remains on you for the duration of the test.

A Holter monitor is typically used when there is an indication of an irregular heartbeat or other heart related issues. An irregular heartbeat can indicate a serious health condition which can lead to complications such as a heart attack or stroke. If you have a health concern or are exhibiting unusual symptoms, get the help you need – close to home – at Decatur County Hospital.

In addition to on-site visits with Dr. Mehta twice each month, on the 1st Friday of each month Sandy Hall, ARNP, will be available for telehealth cardiology appointments.

Patients who utilize this service will continue to visit the DCH Outpatient Clinic in person, and our staff will seamlessly connect them with Sandy using a video conference connection.

On-site cardiac equipment will allow our staff to partner with Sandy to gather cardiac data, and transmit that information to inform health care decisions.

One important factor in continued cardiac care is the management of implanted devices. It is important to check these devices, and ensure they are in proper working order to protect your heart. Every other month, a nurse from the Iowa Heart Center visits the DCH Outpatient Clinic to check and maintain the following cardiology devices:

• Medtronic (carelink)
• Abott/SJM (Merlin)
• Boston Scientific (Latitude)
• Biotronik

To schedule your cardiology appointment, call the DCH Outpatient Clinic at 641-446-2285.