2020 Stories

THI Launches The Texas Heart Medical Group

October 2020

The Texas Heart Medical Group (THMG) was launched in 2020 and 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 Cooley.

In October of this past year, Texas Heart Institute once again raised the bar following the long-planned official debut of Texas Heart Medical Group (THMG). 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 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, to 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 has set into motion its clinical practice, which specializes in cardiovascular care with the singular mission to provide the highest-quality medical care in a sophisticated and welcoming patient-oriented atmosphere.

Texas Heart Medical Group serves as a 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 embodies 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 marked an exciting day in the history of the Texas Heart Institute.  With the launch of Texas Heart Medical Group, THI ushered in a dynamic new era by venturing into the clinical care arena,” stated Texas Heart Institute Board Chair Eric Wade. He added, “Texas Heart Medical Group has tapped into Texas Heart Institute’s long-standing and relentless pursuit of excellence that began with 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 CHI St. Luke’s Health – Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center). From the outset, Dr. Cooley designed an organizational structure which 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 members of the THI Professional Staff, are eager to blaze a new trail and practice top-tier cardiovascular medicine as part of 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 twelve founding members of the Texas Heart Medical Group are as follows:

Dr. Alberto Lopez
Dr. Alexander Postalian
Dr. Briana Costello
Dr. D. Richard Leachman
Dr. Eduardo Hernandez
Dr. Emerson Perin
Dr. Jorge Guttin
Dr. Paolo Angelini
Dr. R. David Fish
Dr. Roberto Lufschanowski
Dr. Stephanie Coulter
Dr. Zvonimir Krajcer