UCSD's Cardiovascular Center Opens Its Doors

The UC San Diego Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center (SCVC) finally opened its doors today. The cardiovascular center, which was originally scheduled to open its doors in early April, was certified by the California Department of Public Health.

UC San Diego Health System delayed the opening of the SCVC to update a water system and for improvement within its emergency department.

The center is a four-story facility adjacent to the Thornton Hospital and has four operating rooms, 54 inpatient beds, four cardiac catheterization labs and outpatient clinics. It is the region’s first dedicated cardiovascular center.

The first cardiac inpatients transferred from UC San Diego’s medical centers on July 31.

“The SCVC is at the forefront of modern efforts to combat heart and vascular diseases, the most common causes of disability and mortality within our population,” said Kirk L. Peterson, MD and director of SCVC.

Peterson, also a professor of cardiology and medicine at UC San Diego’s School of Medicine, said, “As leaders and teachers in this field, we offer advanced diagnostics, novel treatments and access to a number of clinical trials not available anywhere else in the San Diego region.”

Nearly 100 new employees have been hired, including nurses, telephone operators, technicians, security and a nutritionist, according to UC San Diego.

The facility was completed six years after Richard Sulpizio, a longtime Qualcomm executive, and his wife, Gabby, donated $10 million for the project.

In the next five years, UC San Diego will open the Clinical and Transitional Research Institute, Center for the Future of Surgery and the Jacobs Medical Center.

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