A cardiac electrophysiologist in Boise, Idaho, is the first woman in the world to complete 1,000 cardiac catheter ablations using the Stereotaxis Robotic Magnetic Navigation System.
Margot Vloka, MD, of Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, is the 13th physician in the world to reach the milestone and the only one to have completed it at a community hospital.
“This has been accomplished with the enthusiastic support of the entire, excellent cardiology team at the Saint Alphonsus Heart Institute,” Vloka said in a statement. “I am proud to be the first woman physician in the world and fifth physician in the United States to perform 1,000 robotic procedures for treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. I am even more excited about the fact that I’m the first physician to achieve this distinction in the community hospital setting.”
Saint Alphonsus adopted the Stereotaxis technology in 2011 and remains the only center in Idaho that offers radiofrequency ablation using it. Odette Bolano, CEO and president of the health system, said in a statement Vloka is a “pioneer” in the field.
“We’re honored that she has achieved this milestone at Saint Alphonsus,” Bolano said. “Providing the latest technology and life-saving techniques to our patients affirms our commitment to being a transforming healing presence in our community.”
After graduating from Indiana University-Bloomington with a bachelor’s in journalism, Anicka joined TriMed’s Chicago team in 2017 covering cardiology. Close to her heart is long-form journalism, Pilot G-2 pens, dark chocolate and her dog Harper Lee.