Here are eight keys to Texas Heart Institute’s success:
1. An outstanding physician champion. THI’s founder, Dr. Cooley, remains at the helm of the institute today. Dr. Cooley is a world-renown pioneer in cardiovascular surgery, and he and his associates have performed more than 100,000 open heart operations —more than any other group in the world. His passion and dedication to cardiovascular treatment, research and education has attracted patients and inspired numerous physicians.
In an interview with the Academy of Achievement, Dr. Cooley regarded the institute as his greatest accomplishment, adding, “I don’t lead by force; I lead by example.”
2. Institutional commitment. While physician departmental leadership is critical, so is institutional commitment for heart services. St. Luke’s highest leaders are strong proponents for continually moving the institute’s services forward. If this wasn’t the case, the institute wouldn’t be as successful.
“You cannot have true organizational commitment to [a heart] program if the CEO does not own the quality,” David Pate, MD, JD, former CEO of St. Luke’s, told Becker’s Hospital Review last year. “If you are relying on a chief quality officer or director of nursing to oversee the quality, it is unlikely you will get the organizational buy-in needed to be a truly successful and superior program.”
3. Specialized, comprehensive services. THI offers dedicated programs for a variety of specialized cardiovascular services including its Center for Arrhythmias and Electrophysiology, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Heart Failure Program, Heart Transplant Program and the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. Each program features dedicated physicians and staff trained in that particular area of heart care.
4. Multidisciplinary approach. When treating heart conditions, THI staff use a multidisciplinary approach. For example, the Institute’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program takes a progressive and multidisciplinary approach focusing on areas such as exercise, nutrition, counseling and education, which helps people who have experienced a cardiac event or heart disease return more quickly to full and productive lives.
5. Cutting-edge technology. THI stays on the forefront of treatment by investing in cutting-edge technology. St. Luke’s was the first hospital in the world to use the Artis Zeego, a cutting-edge, robotic C-arm for use with interventional radiology procedures, and the hospital continues to invest in technology to advance its heart treatment offerings.
6. Advanced training programs for physicians and other medical professionals. THI offers residency and training programs in various areas of cardiovascular medicine. Additionally, its unique cardiovascular anesthesia training program includes residency rotations and fellowships focused on anesthesia for cardiac, thoracic and vascular surgery. The institute also offers several CME programs for physicians and other medical professionals each year.
Dr. Cooley told the Academy of Achievement that the Institute will endure because of it commitment to education. “I believe the Texas Heart Institute will endure long after I’m gone. Many young people will get their education here, and that will be my major accomplishment.”
7. Leading community education programs. Texas Heart Institute is home to the Heart Information Center, which is located on the Institute’s first floor. The center provides information about heart disease and its prevention to patients and community members. The Institute’s website also features the “Ask a Texas Heart Institute Doctor” feature, which allows anyone with Internet access to ask a cardiovascular health-related question or search previous answers. Members of the THI professional staff answer selected questions, which are then posted on the website. Questions not selected for the website are answered by Heart Information Center staff.
8. Dedication to research. Finally, THI is home to one of the leading heart research programs in the country with nine dedicated research programs exploring such areas as cardiovascular pathology, cardiovascular anesthesia, electrophysiology, stem cells and molecular cardiology. Research at THI is funded by the National Institutes of Health, endowments and grants.
THI also sponsors the THI Journal to share the research findings of its researchers and others. The journal has a readership of approximately 47,000 cardiovascular physicians worldwide.
Learn more about the Texas Heart Institute.
