Memorial and Heart Institute Partner to Advance Cardiovascular Care in East Texas

Memorial is pleased to announce the formation of a unique partnership with one of the area’s most well known centers for cardiovascular care – The Heart Institute of East Texas.

The two entities are coming together to create the Memorial Cardiovascular Clinical Institute.  Composed of the cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeon from Memorial Clinics and the cardiologists from The Heart Institute of East Texas, this Institute is designed to enhance the cardiovascular care Memorial provides to the people of deep East Texas.

Through the Clinical Institute, the physicians and Memorial leadership will co-manage the coordination and planning for Memorial’s cardiovascular service line.  The ultimate goal is to enhance clinical outcomes and operating efficiencies of cardiovascular services provided by Memorial.  Each year objectives will be set for clinical and operational improvements, along with plans for expanding the delivery of those services throughout the multiple counties served by Memorial and the Heart Institute.

“Quality cardiovascular care is essential in Angelina County and the surrounding area,” Memorial CEO Gary Looper said. “Our local population ranks high in the prevalence of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity and smoking compared to the rest of the state of Texas. Our goal is to create a regionally acclaimed Heart and Vascular Center of Excellence with a true integration of cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons as the foundation in order to better serve our neighbors.”

One of the Heart Institute’s founders, Ravinder R. Bachireddy, MD, FACC, who is also the Chief of Cardiology at Memorial, says the Clinical Institute will have a substantial role in shaping the future of health care delivery in East Texas.   “We have the opportunity to become the regional medical center and a center of excellence for cardiovascular services,” says Dr. Bachireddy.

The physicians at The Heart Institute are pioneers in cardiovascular care for Lufkin and the surrounding communities.  Dr. Bachireddy and Dr. J.S. Chandra were instrumental in establishing the cardiovascular programs at both Memorial and Woodland Heights Medical Center by performing the first PTCA (Coronary Angioplasty), Coronary Arthrectomy, Coronary Rotoblater, and Defibrillator.  The Heart Institute also performed the first stent placement in the entire region.  Dr. Bachireddy and his colleagues have together built a state-of-the-art high quality cardiovascular program for Lufkin and the surrounding communities and look forward to a partnership with Memorial that will ensure continued growth and advancement in cardiology care for the region.

The Heart Institute will also play an important role in achieving the goals of the East Texas Heart & Vascular Initiative.  The three-year initiative was funded by a $3.8 million grant from the TLL Temple Foundation in partnership with The Methodist Hospital in Houston.  The initiative advances physician and nursing skills and knowledge of cardiovascular care.  Additionally, it establishes a community-wide heart and vascular disease education program.

“The Heart and Vascular Initiative continues to make great strides in educating the community and the Memorial medical and clinical staffs on the dangers and treatment of heart and vascular disease.  We look forward to working with Memorial, The Methodist Hospital and the T.L.L. Temple Foundation to improve the health of our area,” said Musa Khan, M.D., Medical Director of the Heart and Vascular Initiative.