Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the U.S. for the past century, a situation exacerbated by an aging population and increasing risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity. However, experts at Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care, part of Baptist Health South Florida, are optimistic about the future of cardiovascular care. With advancements in AI, robotics and wearable devices, both Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute and Christine E. Lynn Heart & Vascular Institute are preparing for a significant transformation in treatment options and patient care.
Tom C. Nguyen, M.D., a minimally invasive heart surgeon and the chief medical executive, is leading this transformative effort. Under his leadership, the two institutes — one in Miami-Dade County and the other in Palm Beach County — are expanding rapidly, aiming to revolutionize healthcare locally and globally. The surgical team has recently grown with the addition of two distinguished surgeons: Mehrdad Ghoreishi, M.D., and Makoto Hashimoto, M.D. Dr. Ghoreishi, a leader in aortic surgery, brings his innovative approach to treating the aorta, including the development of normothermic total arch replacement (TAR), a technique that improves surgical outcomes. He also leads the Miami Ross Program and performed the first Ross for adults in the Miami area. Dr. Hashimoto, an expert in robotic and minimally invasive cardiac surgery, joins from Japan’s Sapporo Cardiovascular Clinic. His appointment as professor and director of robotic cardiac surgery at Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine marks the first major joint recruitment effort between FIU and Baptist Health, and highlights their shared commitment to attracting top-tier talent from around the globe.
The use of AI is accelerating progress, assisting in data analysis and decision-making while streamlining patient care. Dr. Nguyen believes AI will revolutionize healthcare more significantly than electricity, and it is already helping to predict potential complications in patients before they become apparent.
Baptist Health is also strengthening partnerships with industry leaders, academic researchers and
technology experts to advance its goals. Our academic and clinical affiliation with Florida
International University puts Baptist Health Baptist Hospital on the path toward becoming a
statutory teaching hospital. Collaborating with these partners, as well as fostering the next
generation of physicians through residency and fellowship programs, is central to the strategy for
innovation at both institutes.
Dr. Nguyen emphasizes that while the journey toward the future of cardiovascular care has only just
begun, the teams at both institutes are committed to continuing their mission of providing the best
and most compassionate care. The path forward involves constant evolution, with AI and research
playing key roles in shaping the future of heart health.
Visit BaptistHealth.net/Heart to learn more.