Message from the Chairs
As the world continues to emerge from the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic and acclimates to a new era of virtual reality and artificial intelligence, the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center continues to capitalize on our spirit of innovation. Our faculty and staff persistently push the envelope in every aspect of patient care and research, with an unyielding goal of extending life and improving health for all individuals suffering from heart and vascular diseases.
Virtual care has changed medicine drastically over the last three years. Not only can we now follow patients through virtual outpatient visits — which undoubtedly improves patient compliance — but virtual ICU monitoring has helped us save resources and reduce nurse burnout. We also are using virtual tools to increase monitoring in the operating theater. Knowing most complications occur after patients are discharged home, we are building strategies for virtual and continued care with a goal of improving outcomes and reducing readmissions. Further, we are weaving artificial intelligence into the patient care continuum to achieve better overall assessment of each patient’s condition as well as to provide outreach through education.
Growth has been a key theme for the Heart & Vascular Center. With the recruitment of national and international figures, from Dr. Andrea Quarti in aortic valve repair and congenital heart surgery, to Dr. Cindy Martin in advanced heart failure, we are building a truly formidable team in structural heart — which is a hot button issue across the U.S. We have also focused efforts on expansion across Houston Methodist’s eight community hospitals. As the country’s fifth most populous metropolitan area, expanding our footprint into the Greater Houston area’s diverse communities widens our clinical expertise, academic opportunities and research capabilities.
Perhaps most notable for our program is the incredible 50-year anniversary of Dr. Gerald Lawrie at Houston Methodist in 2024. Lawrie is a national giant in the field of mitral valve repair, and his countless innovations have effectively set the standard of care over the last five decades. We are exceedingly proud of the legacy of Lawrie and other pioneers who have made their career homes with us, and of those who continue to join our mission.
Regards,
Alan B. Lumsden, MD
Walter W. Fondren III Presidential Distinguished Chair
Chair, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery
Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College
William A. Zoghbi, MD
Elkins Family Distinguished Chair in Cardiac Health
Chair, Department of Cardiology
Professor of Cardiology, Weill Cornell Medical College