Join Our Team

A teammate at St. Luke’s is much more than an employee. You’ll be working as part of a team to provide the highest patient experience found in the region. It means impacting lives of those who need your care, and their families. When you join the St. Luke’s team, you commit to providing the highest level of diligence, compassion, and attention at every impact point. To become a member of one of the highest rated healthcare institutions in the region, apply online now!

APPLY NOW

Through MyChart, you can immediately and securely access your digital healthcare records through a desktop or a smartphone app. That access includes current health issues and upcoming appointments, prompt notification of test results, medication, and instructions for taking each medication. You can instantly review your allergy list and immunization history, physical exams, and preventive care procedures. MyChart makes it easy to record day-to-day blood pressure, weight, and steps, by linking personal devices and apps such as Fitbit and Apple Health.

A Calcium Score Test

Ten minutes that can save your life

Many people have no idea they are about to have a heart attack or a stroke until it happens; for some, that unexpected event will kill them. But what if there was a quick, painless, and affordable test that could predict your likelihood of having a cardiac event?

WHAT IS A HEART SCAN?

Our GE Revolution Elite CT is the best-in-class computed tomography platform and is tops in the world. And one test that it excels at is the heart scan (calcium score test). The heart scan is a CT scan that detects the amount of calcium in your coronary arteries. The value of the screening is that it helps to determine if you need preventative treatment to ward off a heart attack or stroke. This test at St. Luke's provides much greater detail and accuracy and is most helpful to guide treatment for people who have a low to moderate risk of heart disease. In less than two seconds, our scanner takes two hundred-fifty multi-slices that combine to form sixty-four images.

Gradually developing, plaque comprises fats, calcium, cholesterol, and other elements in the blood. In advanced stages, these deposits restrict oxygen-rich blood from reaching the heart; worse, they can burst and trigger a blood clot. By measuring calcified plaque, our cardiologist can identify possible coronary artery disease before you have signs and symptoms.

ARE THERE RISKS?

In addition to the uncompromised image quality, our scanner is a “low-dose” CT providing about the same amount of radiation you'll receive naturally in a year. You'll lie on your back on a movable table, and a technician will attach electrodes to your chest, which connect to a recording instrument that coordinates the X-ray timing between heartbeats. The setup for the test takes about five to seven minutes, and the actual scan lasts less than two seconds! And best of all, you can return to normal activities immediately after the test.

RESULTS

You will receive an Agatston score reflecting the total calcium deposit area and density. If no calcium is detected, you'll receive a score of zero, suggesting a low risk of a future heart attack. A score of one hundred to three hundred indicates a high risk of a heart attack over the next five years. Any score over three hundred indicates severe disease and risk of a cardiac event. In addition to the Agatson score, you will receive a percentile score to show how you compare with others of your age and gender.

With the heart scan results, our doctor will review the test results to determine a treatment plan — medication or lifestyle changes — to reduce your risk of heart-related issues. It's essential to know the result of a heart scan isn't a single predictor of your overall heart disease. The information from the scan is just one part of your health history and may require additional consideration.

Please discuss this test with your primary care provider to determine if it may be valuable to managing your health. The exam is offered for a cash price of $99 as most insurances do not cover.

A SCAN FOR THE UNINSURED

The Foundation for St. Luke’s Hospital has received grant funding from Carolina Foothills Foundation to provide free calcium scoring exams for Polk or Rutherford County uninsured residents. You just need your primary care provider to send the hospital an order for the exam and inform the hospital scheduler that you qualify for the free exam.

BACK