GMH's new angiosuite provides cutting edge technology, first in the region

The island's only public hospital is getting a much-needed upgrade with a $2 million artificial intelligence angiosuite they say will revolutionize patient care not just for Guam, but the region. KUAM News got a firsthand look during a live procedure as doctors put the new cutting edge technology to use.

GMH's angiosuite is the recipient of an upgrade, the first of its kind in the region.  "The cool thing about this specific machine is that only a few top hospitals in the US have it," explained Daniel Bernardo. The GE Healthcare Allia IGS 7 is a mobile robotic gantry equipped with the latest artificial intelligence enhancement software, 3D CT imaging, and innovative diagnostic tools. 

Bernardo, a GMH interventional radiologist supervisor, says it provides faster, cost effective and less invasive life saving procedures. He added, "This is going to be used for stroke treatment, heart attacks, bleeding, gunshot wounds and if we ever get lucky enough we can do cancer treatments."

KUAM got the opportunity to witness doctors recently utilizing the new state-of-the-art angiosuite during a live procedure last week. A patient with an infected kidney was able to get treatment without the risk of an open surgery. 

"There’s no need to cut a patient open because it's just a needle that pokes them," Bernardo said. "The patient doesn’t even feel that. We numb up the sight before we even poke them anyway."

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero also got a tour Tuesday morning, during which she observed, "We have Dr. Troy here, the cardiologist. He’s explained a lot of good things about this equipment. It would decrease risk for patients, decrease cost for patients, and increase longevity for our patients also."

It's funded by a $2 million federal grant from the Department of the Interior, awarded to Governor’s Office last December. GMH professional support services assistant administrator Belle Rada, who has been persistently pushing for the new angiosuite since the COVID-19 pandemic calls it 'The happiest Christmas gift ever'.

"And I ask her ‘Gov, do you have money?’ She goes ‘how much?’ I said about $2 million. So she looked at me like ‘when do you need it? Like today or next month?’ And so the biggest Christmas gift I received was in December when Mr. Lester Carlson called me and said ‘Belle, you have the money'," she recalled.

And what's also been a nice surprise for patients visiting the radiology department is culturally-inspired AI artwork, created by Bernardo, featured in the hallways. 

"This stuff uses advanced AI. There’s AI-made artwork. Not only that, before they wheel the patient into our room, they get to kind of calm down by seeing positive artwork before ending up in the procedure room," he said.