COVINGTON – St. Tammany Health System this week announced plans to open a new, fully modern outpatient cardiac catheterization lab in Covington in spring 2026 that will both expand local cardiovascular services while creating new clinical career opportunities on the Northshore.
The Cardiology Center at St. Tammany Health System, as it will be called, has been under construction since summer 2025 in the Charles A. Frederick Jr. Medical Office Complex at 1203 S. Tyler St., directly across the street from the health system’s flagship St. Tammany Parish Hospital. Work is scheduled for completion in late March.
Designed to support the growth of the community, the 20,317-square-foot facility will significantly expand the health system’s cardiovascular footprint with an outpatient-focused model. Once fully staffed and operational, the center is expected to serve as many as 30 to 40 patients daily in a range of diagnostic and interventional roles.
The health system plans to hire approximately 40 healthcare professionals to staff the center – about 20 upon opening and another 20 once fully operational in 2027. That number includes registered nurses, radiologic technologists, registered cardiovascular invasive specialists, and cardiac and vascular sonographers. Recruitment efforts are already underway to ensure the team is in place to support safe, high-quality care from day one.
Prospective employees can click the “Careers” tab at StTammany.health for additional details, including application information.
The project includes $5.4 million in new equipment, representing the newest technology available with the most up-to-date capabilities. Services provided will include noninvasive cardiology diagnostics such as echocardiography, vascular ultrasound, stress testing, electrocardiograms, transesophageal echocardiograms and cardioversion, as well as invasive procedures including coronary and peripheral vascular angiography, ballooning and stenting of blocked arteries and veins, and pacemaker implantations.
Health system leaders say the new cardiac catheterization lab reflects a commitment not only to patient access and clinical excellence, but also to investing in a skilled, sustainable healthcare workforce to serve the Northshore for years to come.
St. Tammany Health System’s Cardiology program has been recognized for excellence by multiple major national organizations, most recently being named a high-performing hospital for heart failure and heart attack treatment by U.S. News & World Report for 2024-2025; a Best Hospital for heart care and stroke care by Women’s Choice for 2025; and being ranked in the top 10% in the state for patient safety in coronary bypass surgery by Carechex in 2025. It is additionally recognized as an accredited Chest Pain Center by the American College of Cardiology, which has also certified the health system in in transcatheter valve replacement (TAVR) surgery.
###
About St. Tammany Health System
The heartbeat of its community, St. Tammany Health System cares for patients and families with excellence, compassion and teamwork. It is nationally recognized for quality, safety and service excellence by CareChex, Leapfrog, Healthgrades, Hospital Compare, Women’s Choice and US News & World Report. The health system is home to 281-bed St. Tammany Parish Hospital Service District No. 1, three diagnostic centers and 12 medical clinics throughout western St. Tammany Parish. Self-supporting, not-for-profit STHS is AA- rated by Fitch and receives no tax funding. More at StTammany.health.