Gradual success line
Twenty years ago a sky-high roof peak of this building represented the beginning of private cardiac surgery in Lithuania: a heart surgery center was established here. The history of Kardiolita Hospital, which has started since then, has been developing and has already crossed the boundaries of Vilnius city and went beyond the limits of heart surgery.
The idea of setting up a private medical center dates back to 1992. Its initiators are famous Lithuanian cardiac surgeons – professors Vytautas Sirvydis and Giedrius Uždavinys. It took several years since the idea turned into reality, but ultimately, the Heart Surgery Center opened its doors in the summer of 1998 in one of the neighborhoods of Vilnius city. The center was oriented towards the patients from CIS countries and it was built using the most cutting-edge and innovative technologies, furthermore, its laboratories and operating-rooms were equipped with the latest medical equipment from European and Japanese manufacturers. Its trustworthiness and high level of service has been ensured not only by the team of the doctors that are well known throughout the country but also by an intensive care unit, which made it possible to carry out complex medical surgeries requiring intensive post-operative care.
Shortly after focusing on cardiac surgery and orthopedics, center managers began to invite professionals from other fields, who had accumulated experience both in Lithuania and in the rest of the world and had earned a good reputation among patients. Activities were continuously developed and it wasn’t long before a range of services provided by the center has expanded and quickly covered almost all areas and levels of medicine: from consultation with different professionals and medical tests to complex surgeries that have not been performed by any other private medical center since then.
The Heart Surgery Center became a private hospital and health care center Kardiolita Hospital in 2011.
Ongoing Strategy: The Best of Everything
Although the name itself has changed and the range of activities has expanded significantly, the medical center, which has started with staffing it with the best doctors and provision of top-level services, has retained its core of activity to this day. Vilnius Kardiolita Hospital – the only private medical clinic in Lithuania, which, like the public hospitals, has a team of reanimatologists who are on duty all day every day. This enables to perform not only laser and minimally invasive procedures but also the most complex surgical operations.
Kardiolita Hospital employ the most experienced doctors in Lithuania. This is not just a declaration of the health institution made accessible to the public, but also a fundamental background of the company's philosophy. Professionalism has been encrypted in its genes – after all, these clinics have emerged from the efforts of two top-qualified, experienced and respected Lithuanian doctors.
From the very beginning, the center was equipped with the best medical equipment that was renewed over time, yet all its managers and owners have believed that the greatest strength and asset of the medical institution is anything but equipment. The focal points have always been people, their competencies, knowledge, and experience.
Simultaneously expanding its range of services and adding more fields of treatment to its basket of services, Kardiolita Hospital has been continuously inviting new members to join its professional community.
Management was looking for lead doctors – stars in their field of specialization, who had already earned recognition and respect of their patients – and in the long run, the medical center gathered the whole constellation of the country's best doctors. Today patients looking for the best eye specialist, allergist, gastroenterologist, vascular surgeon, or any other specialist already are aware that
very likely such specialist works at Kardiolita Hospital. Dr. Darius Aukštikalnis, dr. Virgilijus Sakalinskas, Prof. Dr. Valerijus Ostapenko, Prof. Dr. Balys Dainys – just a few of the well-known names in the medical community that can be found on the list of specialists working at Kardiolita Hospital. By the way, Prof. Even today, Giedrius Uždavinys, who was one of the founders, provides consultations to patients in Kardiolita Hospital.
Not only in Vilnius, not just for Lithuanians
For a long time – up to 2017 – Kardiolita Hospital was the medical center of the capital. Two years ago
for the convenience of the patients, its branch was established in Kaunas city, therefore people, experiencing health problems do not need to go to the capital. In addition, more choices in terms of doctors are being offered.
The potential of medical tourism is further being developed: in our country, patients from the East are looking for highly qualified medical services.
The number of patients coming from abroad has increased significantly when the Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery Center at Vilnius Kardiolita Hospital opened its door. It focuses on the following beauty services: plastic and reconstructive surgery, laser treatment for skin care and beauty purposes, removal of birthmarks. Many patients also come to the Obesity Treatment Center, where the weight-related problem is solved in a complex way: patients are consulted by a dietitian, endocrinologist, psychologist, and surgeon.
Over the last few years, consistent work with foreign markets has resulted in the increasing number of European citizens, e.g. Scandinavian, British, and Irish, who are interested in our services. However, the majority of patients are Lithuanians.
The vision of future of Kardiolita Hospital does not differ much from its original vision: to be a medical institution that employs best doctors in the country, and a place where patients solve their health-related problems and satisfy the beauty needs quickly and conveniently. One more thing stays the same: professionalism here as elsewhere goes hand in hand with a warm atmosphere and human attention, which is certainly no less important in terms of health and sensitive life periods than the most modern infrastructure or equipment.
Author: Rasa Stamkauskienė
