Providence Heart Institute Providence Heart Institute, often called "South Carolina’s Heart Hospital," is a leader in the fight against the state’s number one killer, heart disease. Since the Heart Institute’s opening in 1974, the staff at Providence has performed more heart procedures than any other medical team in the state. Each year, the facility’s skilled surgeons perform nearly 1,000 open-heart surgeries. In 2005, we performed nearly 7,000 cardiac catheterizations to diagnose and treat heart disease—more than any other hospital in South Carolina. And we’re consistently among the first to bring new technology to the state, including the new drug-eluting stent, a revolutionary device used to reopen blocked arteries. Providence Women’s Heart Center is our newest initiative designed to increase awareness about heart disease in women. This innovative screening service adds a clinical component to the Heart Institute’s Red Dress Campaign, an educational awareness campaign targeted to women in South Carolina. Download a Fact Sheet on Providence Heart Institute [PDF]