Mount Sinai Beth Israel Appoints New Heart Leadership Team for Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery

NEW YORK, May 9, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Mount Sinai Health System and Mount Sinai Beth Israel are pleased to announce the appointments of Blase A. Carabello, MD, as Chair of Cardiology and John D. Puskas, MD, as Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Mount Sinai Beth Israel.

"I am thrilled Dr. Carabello and Dr. Puskas have joined Mount Sinai Beth Israel," says Susan Somerville, RN, President of Mount Sinai Beth Israel. "Under our new heart team's strong expertise and leadership, we will advance Mount Sinai Beth Israel to new heights and the frontlines of cardiovascular medicine and research, growing our cardiovascular services on our downtown Manhattan campus, Mount Sinai Beth Israel Brooklyn, and in the community."

"I am excited to join Mount Sinai Beth Israel and partner with Dr. Puskas in Cardiothoracic Surgery to reignite heart care at Beth Israel with a true patient-centered care focus and no barriers between cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery services," says Dr. Blase A. Carabello, Chair of Cardiology at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, who also serves as Medical Director of the Heart Valve Center at The Mount Sinai Hospital. "Our heart team's program of cardiac excellence at Mount Sinai Beth Israel will take every opportunity to embrace the community and provide them with access to highest quality heart care available."

Dr. Carabello is an internationally recognized expert in the field of valvular heart disease. He specializes in the care of patients who have complex valvular heart disease, and in the practice of general internal medicine. Prior to joining Mount Sinai, Dr. Carabello served as Chief of Cardiology at the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Health System, and Director of its Center for Heart Valve Disease. He was also Vice Chair of the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and Chief of Medicine at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Administration Medical Center.

"Mount Sinai Beth Israel has a long, terrific history in cardiac surgery and my goal is to build upon this great history, reinvigorating Mount Sinai Beth Israel's Cardiac Surgery services in partnership with Dr. Carabello in Cardiology using a true, comprehensive heart team approach," says Dr. John D. Puskas, Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, who also serves as Director of Surgical Coronary Revascularization for the Mount Sinai Health System. "The new Mount Sinai Health System is very dynamic and we are committed to advancing cardiac patient care and cardiovascular research at Mount Sinai Beth Israel and across the Health System."

Dr. Puskas specializes in adult cardiac surgery, including aortic root surgery and minimally invasive valve surgery. He is internationally recognized for his expertise in off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery and began performing off-pump coronary bypass surgeries in 1996; in 1997 he performed the world's first triple off-pump bypass surgery using minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting. In addition to his extensive leadership in less invasive coronary bypass surgery, he is recognized for his work in all arterial revascularization strategies, and robotic coronary revascularization. He has also been a pioneer in the development of minimally invasive surgical techniques for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. Prior to joining Mount Sinai, Dr. Puskas served at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta as Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Emory University Hospital Midtown, founding Director of the Clinical Research Unit and as Professor and Associate Chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery.

At Mount Sinai, Dr. Puskas will continue his pioneering work investigating the benefits of off-pump cardiac surgery, developing new surgical techniques, and testing the latest technologies in advanced clinical trials. He is currently the national principal investigator for three ongoing U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigational device trials that will now move with him to Mount Sinai. Dr. Puskas is a past president of the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery and a member of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Surgeons, International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons. 

A summa cum laude graduate of Princeton University, Dr. Puskas received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He completed his residency in general surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital and his cardiothoracic surgery residency training at Emory University School of Medicine.

As a leading researcher in valvular heart disease, Dr. Carabello has published more than 250 peer-reviewed research studies and 200 book chapters and editorials. He has co-authored the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Guidelines for the Treatment of Valvular Disease from 1998-2014. In 2009, he was honored by the American College of Cardiology as a recipient of its prestigious Distinguished Scientist Award. Dr. Carabello is past President of both the Society for Heart Valve Disease and the Association of University Cardiologists, past Vice President of the Heart Valve Society of America, and a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation.

After attending Gettysburg College, Dr. Carabello graduated cum laude from Temple University School of Medicine. At Harvard Medical School, he received his residency training in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, and completed his cardiology fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

About the Mount Sinai Health System
The Mount Sinai Health System is an integrated health system committed to providing distinguished care, conducting transformative research, and advancing biomedical education. Structured around seven member hospital campuses and a single medical school, the Health System has an extensive ambulatory network and a range of inpatient and outpatient services—from community-based facilities to tertiary and quaternary care. 

The System includes approximately 6,600 primary and specialty care physicians, 12 minority-owned free-standing ambulatory surgery centers, over 45 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, and Long Island, as well as 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the top 20 medical schools both in National Institutes of Health funding and by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org

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Contact:
Lauren Woods
646-634-0869
[email protected]

SOURCE Mount Sinai Health System