Expansion of Baptist Health Cardiology a Milestone in Cardiovascular Care

Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute is marking the five-year anniversary of its integration with HeartWell, South Florida’s premier cardiology group. The strategic acquisition added 24 top physicians to the Institute’s team of cardiovascular specialists at a key time.

The partnership was an important step in a larger expansion of the Institute, part of Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care. Already renowned for its innovative, minimally invasive interventions and robust research program, the Institute is putting a growing emphasis on preventive cardiology with specialized programs focusing on lipids, cardiometabolic conditions, arrhythmia, hypertension, heart failure, sleep, cardio-oncology and sports medicine. 

Jonathan Fialkow, M.D., chief population health officer for Baptist Health and chief of cardiology at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute.

“The integration of Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute and HeartWell accelerated the strategic development of the Institute’s clinical services,” says Jonathan Fialkow, M.D., chief of cardiology and deputy director of the Institute, as well as founding managing partner of HeartWell. “It brought together the best and brightest minds in medicine and science to provide our patients with the most comprehensive cardiovascular care.”

Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute was born in 1987 in two windowless rooms tucked behind Baptist Hospital’s Emergency Center. It was the brainchild of interventional radiologist Barry T. Katzen, M.D., a self-described “disruptor” whose out-of-the-box ideas challenged the day’s conventional approaches to caring for patients. As such, the fledgling Institute embraced innovation as one of its key pillars.

That spirit endures today, 35 years later, in the Institute’s determination to push the boundaries of cardiovascular medicine to develop better, faster, safer and more creative tools and techniques for improving health. The goal is to push the Institute into the next generation of treatments, while at the same time keeping the interests of individual patients at the forefront.

The drive to improve care access has led to expansion of Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute services, especially in the area of prevention.

“Addressing the untreated comorbidities that contribute to heart and vascular disease is a key strategy in battling the number one killer of Americans,” Dr. Fialkow explains. “This comprehensive focus on prevention will help us have a long-term influence on our community and on our field, where we are already regarded as leaders and innovators.”

Meeting patients in their community is critical to ensuring they have the best and most convenient access to care. As a result, the Institute is now the largest and most comprehensive cardiovascular facility in the region, with offices throughout South Florida.

The Institute's multidisciplinary team of leadership has grown to 46 cardiologists covering many subspecialty areas of cardiovascular care. These highly skilled physicians trained at some of the country’s finest facilities and pioneered many of today’s newest technologies and techniques.

The team continues to grow as the Institute’s reputation, top-notch technology and collaborative environment draw additional expert physicians from throughout the country.

The Institute’s physicians use innovative diagnostic and treatment approaches to effectively manage cardiovascular disease. They also conduct advanced clinical research to discover new therapies and explore new technology and techniques.

It’s a rare opportunity for patients at community hospitals to have access to the latest, continuously evolving technological and medical advances that are usually offered only at large teaching and research hospitals. By participating in groundbreaking clinical trials, the Institute continues to be at the forefront of preventing and treating many different conditions.

“The integration with HeartWell strengthened the Institute’s leadership position in the delivery of cardiovascular care,” says Dr. Fialkow, who also serves as chief population health officer at Baptist Health. “Our continued focus on excellence and innovation lead to outstanding outcomes and exceptional experiences for our patients.”

To learn more about Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute, please visit BaptistHealth.net/Heart