Cardiology at Westmead Hospital 1978–1990

The development of the cardiology unit at Westmead Hospital occurred simultaneously with major advances in cardiology. Being the only teaching hospital built in New South Wales in the twentieth century, the hospital opened on 10 November 1978 on the site of the old Parramatta speedway. John Uther commenced in April 1979 and the electrophysiology laboratory opened in June, beginning an era of research and arrhythmia management that lead to the unit being a centre of excellence for arrhythmias. Cardiac surgery commenced in November 1981 with David Johnson as the initial surgeon, developing electrophysiological surgery. At the same time, Andreas Gruntzig was pioneering coronary angioplasty and this service commenced at Westmead in 1983.The early electrophysiology research culminated in the Ralph Reader prize being awarded to three Westmead fellows, David Richards, Robert Denniss and Lorraine Holley over the first three years with Mark Cooper awarded in 1986. Also in 1986, the era of thrombolytic therapy commenced for acute myocardial infarction. Dr Michel Mirowski implanted the first defibrillator in 1980 with approval by the FDA in 1985. Telectronics developed the first Australian defibrillator with considerable input from the unit, resulting in the first Australian made defibrillator inserted by the unit in 1987.The staffing at the unit has been a combination of staff specialists and visiting medical officers who have worked in all invasive and non invasive laboratories. This resulted in a unique and successful concept with the VMOs also attending the peripheral hospitals of the area resulting in the first successful example of clinical networking throughout the area.This has resulted in a full range of cardiac services available to all patients in all hospitals of the area.