Appointments Reinforce Premier Cardiovascular Program
CINCINNATI (August 12, 2026) –The Christ Hospital Health Network announces a new physician leadership team for its nationally recognized Heart & Vascular Institute, reinforcing its commitment to delivering world-class cardiovascular care while advancing innovation, research and the next generation of heart and vascular treatment. Cardiac surgeon J. Michael Smith, MD, has been named President of The Christ Hospital Heart & Vascular Institute and Daniel Pelchovitz, MD, will serve as Heart and Vascular Service Line Medical Director.
Together, these nationally respected physicians represent expertise spanning cardiovascular surgery, advanced heart failure, heart transplantation, structural heart disease, electrophysiology and clinical research—positioning The Christ Hospital Heart & Vascular Institute to continue building on its legacy as one of the nation's leading cardiovascular destinations.
"At The Christ Hospital Health Network, our mission is to improve the health of our community by providing exceptional outcomes, the finest experiences and affordable care. Few areas better represent that mission than our Heart & Vascular Institute.” Said Debbie Hayes, President and CEO of The Christ Hospital Health Network. “These leadership appointments reflect our continued investment in one of the nation's most accomplished cardiovascular teams and our commitment to ensuring patients have access to the very best heart care—right here at home."
Daniel Pelchovitz, MD, will serve as the new Heart and Vascular Service Line Medical Director at The Christ Hospital Health Network.
For decades, The Christ Hospital Heart & Vascular Institute has been recognized for delivering exceptional outcomes while pioneering advances in cardiovascular medicine. The program has been named among the nation's top Cardiovascular Hospitals, including No. 4 among teaching hospitals with cardiovascular residency programs, and continues to earn national recognition for excellence in cardiac surgery, coronary intervention, structural heart care and patient experience.
"Great heart programs are built by great physicians who never stop pushing what's possible," said Dean Kereiakes, MD, Chairman of The Christ Hospital Heart & Vascular Institute. "Drs. Smith and Pelchovitz are among the most accomplished cardiovascular specialists in the country. Their clinical expertise, commitment to innovation and passion for improving patients' lives will help lead our institute into its next chapter while preserving the excellence our patients have trusted for generations."
As President of the Heart & Vascular Institute, Dr. Smith will continue serving as Medical Director of the Cardiovascular and Mitral Valve Surgery Program and Medical Director of Cardiovascular Surgical Research for The Carl and Edyth Lindner Research Center. A nationally recognized cardiac surgeon, he has helped advance minimally invasive and robotic cardiac surgery while leading groundbreaking clinical research that continues to shape cardiovascular care.
"Our patients place extraordinary trust in us during some of the most important moments of their lives," said Dr. Smith. "This leadership team is committed to building on an already exceptional foundation—continuing to innovate, expanding access to advanced cardiovascular therapies and ensuring every patient receives the highest quality care available anywhere in the country."
Dr. Pelchovitz, a nationally recognized electrophysiologist and previously Medical Director of the Electrophysiology Program, has played a pivotal role in expanding advanced heart rhythm care, improving outcomes for patients with atrial fibrillation and complex arrhythmias, and advancing innovative technologies that keep patients healthier and out of the hospital.
About the Physician Leaders
J. Michael Smith, MD, graduated from the University of Louisville School of Medicine and completed his general surgery residency at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati before completing his cardiothoracic surgery residency at Yale University.
Daniel Pelchovitz, MD, is a Cincinnati native and graduate of Sycamore High School. He earned his bachelor's degree in biochemistry from the University of Michigan Honors Program and his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his internal medicine residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and fellowships in cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology at Northwestern University.
About The Christ Hospital Health Network
The Christ Hospital Health Network consists of an acute care hospital located in Mt. Auburn, a remote hospital location in Liberty Township, five ambulatory outpatient centers and dozens of medical offices throughout the region. For 137 years, The Christ Hospital has provided compassionate care to those it serves. Made up of more than 1,300 physicians and more than 7,600 team members, our mission is to improve the health of our community by providing exceptional outcomes in an affordable way. The Network was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the #3 hosptial in Ohio and named to Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals list in 2026.
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