Texas Heart Institute Opens Its Clinical Cardiology Practice
HOUSTON, TX (October 1, 2020) – Texas Heart Institute (THI) – the internationally lauded research and educational center dedicated to the prevention and care of heart disease – is once again raising the bar with the long-planned opening of the Texas Heart Medical Group (THMG). The THMG represents a significant step into the future for the institution, which has played a critical role in major cardiovascular breakthroughs since its founding in 1962 by legendary heart surgeon Dr. Denton A. Cooley.
When Dr. Cooley established THI nearly 60 years ago, his mission statement for the non-profit at Texas Medical Center was simultaneously simple and bold: namely, reduce the devastating toll of cardiovascular disease through innovative programs in research, education, and improved patient care. Texas Heart Institute is now breathing new life into Dr. Cooley’s original vision as the institution readies to open its clinical practice specializing in cardiovascular care with the singular mission to provide the highest-quality medical care in a sophisticated and welcoming patient-oriented atmosphere.
When it begins seeing new and existing patients on October 1, Texas Heart Medical Group will serve as home base for twelve outstanding cardiologists who are also leaders in the subspecialty fields of Cardiac Imaging, Interventional Cardiology, Peripheral Vascular Disease, and Electrophysiology. Texas Heart Medical Group will embody the totality of Texas Heart Institute as a fully integrated clinical cardiology practice encompassing the areas of education, research, and direct patient care.
“October 1, 2020, marks an exciting day in the history of the Texas Heart Institute. With the launch of Texas Heart Medical Group, THI will usher in a dynamic new era as it enters into the clinical care arena,” stated Texas Heart Institute Board Chair Eric D. Wade. He added, “Texas Heart Medical Group will tap into Texas Heart Institute’s long-standing and relentless pursuit of excellence that began with the historic breakthroughs under Dr. Cooley’s leadership and vision. I am confident in saying that he would be proud of and excited for this new chapter in THI’s dramatic story.”
To date, Texas Heart Institute has focused solely on research and education in affiliation with St. Luke’s Episcopal Health (now Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center). From the outset, Dr. Cooley designed an organizational structure that coordinated care at the THI-affiliated hospital partners. Texas Heart Institute did not directly treat patients under the THI umbrella, though it quickly blossomed into “the most prolific heart surgery center in the United States and possibly the world,” as the iconic surgeon wrote in his own words.
“The leading physicians in the Texas Heart Medical Group who are also members of the THI Professional Staff, are eager to blaze a new trail and practice top tier cardiovascular medicine through this clinical group,” emphasized Dr. Emerson Perin, Texas Heart Institute’s Medical Director.
He added, “The founding physicians at THMG have upheld the same standards of excellence set forth by Dr. Cooley, spanning decades of collective experience in the practice of cardiovascular medicine and clinical investigation. In the spirit of the Cooley legacy, we are joining together as a body of clinicians, surgeons, and scientists with a unified ethos to take Dr. Cooley’s core mission far into the 21st Century.”
The offices at Texas Heart Medical Group will be located at St. Luke’s Medical Tower, Suite 2780. THMG’s physicians will begin seeing new patients immediately upon its official launch on Thursday, October 1. Texas Heart Medical Group will be open Monday through Friday and will accept the majority of health insurance plans as well as assignments for Medicare patients.
ABOUT TEXAS HEART MEDICAL GROUP (THMG)
Texas Heart Medical Group is a multicultural clinical practice specializing in comprehensive cardiovascular care with a mission to promote wellness and longevity while providing the highest-quality medical care in a sophisticated and welcoming patient-oriented atmosphere. THMG physicians are internationally known for their expertise in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cardiovascular diseases who practice patient-centered care utilizing state-of-the-art approaches, including non-invasive and invasive procedures. www.texasheartmedical.org
ABOUT TEXAS HEART INSTITUTE (THI)
Texas Heart Institute (THI), founded by world-renowned cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Denton A. Cooley in 1962, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the devastating toll of cardiovascular disease through innovative and progressive programs in research, education, and improved patient care. Participating in research programs in cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, stem cell, and gene therapy, and regenerative medicine, THI’s scientists and physicians are spearheading some of the most innovative research in the medical field. Through its translational basic and clinical research programs, Texas Heart Institute is learning more every day about the underlying causes of heart disease and the ways to better treat and even prevent it. With initiatives ranging from postdoctoral and continued medical education to public outreach and scientific publications, THI is dedicated to spreading awareness and sharing updates on ways to prevent, treat, and defeat cardiovascular disease. With nearly 10 million visitors coming to its website from around the world every year, www.texasheart.org is just one of the ways THI is helping to educate people on the importance of heart health. As global leaders of patient care for nearly six decades, Texas Heart Institute has been ranked among the top cardiovascular centers in the United States by U.S. News & World Report for the past 30 years.
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