Conemaugh Nason Medical Center in Roaring Spring may be one of the smaller hospitals in the area,  but starting Tuesday, January 15, doctors there will be offering advanced heart care.

On Monday, Conemaugh Nason staff and community leaders cut the ribbon at the new $3 million lab just off the hospital’s main entrance.

“The opening of the cath lab is an amazing and exciting venture because we’re bringing high quality cardiology to the Cove to Nason Hospital and it’s been a long time coming,” said Dr. Joseph Gattuso, Altoona Cardiology Associates.

The cardiac catheterization lab is where you come if you’ve had a heart attack or you’re having symptoms of one. It’s where physicians examine your blood vessels, find the blockage, and insert a stentConemaugh Nason’s added eight full-time employees to staff the lab.

C.E.O. Tim Harclerode said, “We’re not starting something here that nobody’s ever done. All of our employees and all of our physicians have been doing this for years. We’re just doing it here in a state of the art facility with easy access close to home.”

According to Harclerode, the cath lab is more evidence that Conemaugh Nason is here for the long haul.