Monthly Cath Lab volume more than doubles with new hires
Good Samaritan’s Interventional Cardiology program has new life. After our KP partners left in March of last year, the hospital lost about 50 percent of its volume and posted the lowest numbers of the year in Q2. In fact, total Cath Lab cases in 2024 were 1,160, while total cases in 2025 were just 792.
That’s a substantial decrease. But the numbers are deceiving, as they don’t show the rebound.
With three new interventional cardiologists hired in Q3, monthly Cath Lab volumes doubled, from 22 cases in August to 43 cases in December — a trend driving sharply up. Want further proof? Cath Lab volume in January surpassed 100.
“We’re rebuilding this program, and it’s all about increasing volumes through exceptional skill and streamlined access,” said Kelly Royster, BSN, RN, Cardiovascular & IR manager at Good Samaritan.
Royster describes the new physicians leading this program as “absolutely amazing, very skilled and excited to teach.”
Brian Allen, MD: Allen is dual fellowship trained in Cardiovascular Disease and Interventional Cardiology, and he’s board certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Medicine, Echocardiography, Vascular Imaging, Nuclear Medicine and a variety of interventional coronary and peripheral procedures.
Peter Boulos, MD: Boulos is dual board-certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease, with advanced fellowship training in Cardiovascular Disease, and Interventional and Structural Interventional Cardiology. He recently performed the hospital’s first PFO closure and hopes to develop an interdisciplinary program around the procedure.
“The Cath Lab staff here at Good Samaritan is exceptional, and between the three of us – Drs. Allen, Zulfiqar and me – we offer such a broad spectrum of specialization that there’s very little we can’t do right here.”
Shaheer Zulfiqar, MD: Zulfiqar is dual fellowship trained in Cardiology and Interventional Cardiology, and triple board certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease and Interventional Cardiology.
With January numbers more than doubling December’s, hospital leadership expects the trend showing a fast-growing program will continue.
“We’ve already gotten through the hard part,” said Royster. “Now, we’ve reassembled a fantastic team, and we’re ready to grow, meeting the community’s need for this care and keeping them right here at Good Samaritan.”
Physicians with questions about the interventional cardiology care available at Good Samaritan can contact Royster at kelly.royster@imail.org.