David Torchiana, MD

From the treatment of patients with inoperable lung clots to innovations in minimally invasive cardiac procedures to hosting nearly 300 on-site clinical trials, Brigham and Women’s Heart & Vascular Center had a lot to commemorate this past year—and it was all made possible by teamwork among the center’s 1,800 employees.

“Our true north is to take care of our patients, innovate in extraordinary ways, educate the next generation of clinicians and take care of our community,” said David McCready, MBA, MHA, senior vice president of Surgical-Procedural Services and executive sponsor for the Heart and Vascular Center, speaking earlier this summer in Bornstein Amphitheater at the center’s third annual “Heart of the Future” event. “You perform remarkable work every day, and today we celebrate all of you and what you do.”

Partners President and CEO David Torchiana, MD, a cardiac surgeon, presented the 2016 Kenneth L. Baughman, MD, Master Clinician Lecture on cardiovascular innovations over the years, including novel techniques in enhancing the usefulness of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.

“My first experience seeing a beating heart has never lost its intensity,” said Torchiana. “It was a powerful moment for me.”

While the focus of the event was to reflect on cardiovascular advancements from the past—recent and distant—speakers also highlighted goals for the future. For instance, there is a delicate balance of investing in innovations and being fiscally responsible in today’s demanding health care landscape, explained Mandeep R. Mehra, MD, medical director of the Heart & Vascular Center. To meet this challenge, the center established a committee to evaluate new, innovative devices and their impact on patient outcomes.

“What you have accomplished over the past three years since the center launched is absolutely extraordinary, and I know this center will achieve so much more,” said BWHC President Betsy Nabel, MD. “You make us proud and provide the best care to our patients.”