2001: The Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center
The center honors the career of Dr. Michael E. DeBakey and pulls together the various groups involved in heart and vascular care. The Center forms out of a grass roots effort led by heart doctors and administrators to give care to patients under one roof, called a Center of Excellence. By the year 2000, over 425 heart transplants had been completed at Methodist. In 2001, more than 1,300 open heart operations, 2,500 angioplasties and 6,000 catheterizations are performed. Dr. Albert E. Raizner is named the first medical director of the center, assisted by Debbie Sukin, who collects information to establish standard of care benchmarks.