The Christ Hospital Health Network Appoints Internationally Renowned Cardiovascular Leader, Dean Kereiakes, MD, FACC, FSCAI, President of New Heart and Vascular Institute

The Christ Hospital Health Network is pleased to announce that Dean Kereiakes, MD, FACC, FSCAI, has accepted the position of President of the newly established Heart and Vascular Institute.

The Christ Hospital Health Network is pleased to announce that Dean Kereiakes, MD, FACC, FSCAI, has accepted the position of President of the newly established Heart and Vascular Institute. Dr. Kereiakes will assume the role beginning January 1, 2021.

“As ‘Cincinnati’s Heart Hospital,’ we are continuously evolving the scope and depth of our capabilities and programs in the heart and vascular specialties to ensure we are fulfilling our mission,” said Debbie Hayes, Interim President and CEO. “It is only fitting, then, that Dr. Kereiakes, whose vision for heart care at The Christ Hospital in the 1980s helped to shape the program into what it is today, should lead us into the future as the most advanced regional referral center for cardiovascular care. His commitment to research, innovation and clinical excellence has, and will continue to, allow us to provide exceptional cardiovascular care to this community and throughout the Midwest.”

Dr. Kereiakes’ journey with The Christ Hospital began while training in San Francisco in the early 1980s when he spoke with his good friend Carl Lindner Jr., who questioned why Cincinnatians needed to leave home to obtain high-quality heart care. That conversation led to Dr. Kereiakes’ return to Cincinnati and his commitment to Carl Lindner to make leading-edge treatments available at The Christ Hospital in a new, state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization laboratory donated by Mr. Lindner. This was the beginning of a nationally recognized program and the start of Dr. Kereiakes’ legacy, which now sees him heralded as one of the world’s top cardiologists and a leader in cardiovascular research. In his new position, Dr. Kereiakes will further that promise and commitment to leading edge cardiovascular care.

“A physician leader and researcher of Dr. Kereiakes’ caliber strengthens our capabilities as we push the boundaries of heart care through innovation, technology and the recruitment of highly talented clinicians,” said Julie Miksit, Executive Director of The Christ Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute. “Partnering with him and leveraging his professional achievements and experience, passion for patient care, thought leadership in research, and ability to recruit exceptional physicians to the area, furthers our commitment to providing the best care to the Greater Cincinnati region.”

As president, Dr. Kereiakes will play a principal role in leading The Heart and Vascular Institute to become a national destination for sub-specialty patient care and clinical research trials. Dr Kereiakes is committed to continued development of subspecialized Centers of Excellence, each led by a nationally acclaimed and networked physician champion who is supported by appropriate staff and infrastructure. Each Center of Excellence is matrixed with the Lindner Center for Research and Education to provide access to leading-edge technology, novel drugs and devices, all of which clearly sets The Christ Hospital apart.

As founder and past CEO of the Ohio Heart and Vascular cardiovascular specialty group (acquired by The Christ Hospital in 2009) as well as founder and Medical Director of the Lindner Research Center, Dr. Kereiakes brings extensive experience in hospital and practice leadership to this new role. He currently serves as Medical Director of The Christ Hospital Heart and Vascular Center, Medical Director of The Christ Hospital Research Institute and Professor of Clinical Medicine at The Ohio State University.

"The Cardiovascular services at Christ Hospital have grown in scope, reach, and expertise over decades, but change has accelerated in the past few years,” said Eugene Chung, MD, Medical Director of the Heart and Vascular Service Line. “The concept of this institute has wide support among the physicians and administrators alike and we are all excited to be pulling in the same direction."

“With the support of The Christ Hospital Board, administration and the best group of doctors in the region, The Christ Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute will be the regional destination for cardiovascular care and a tremendous resource for our community,” said Dr. Kereiakes. “Heart and vascular care ‘second to none’ is what you can expect.”

Dr. Kereiakes received his medical degree, and was valedictorian of his graduating class, at the University of Cincinnati. His postgraduate training included an internship and residency at the University of California, San Francisco, a senior residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and a chief residency at the University of California. He completed fellowships in adult cardiology at the University of California, and coronary angioplasty fellowships at the San Francisco Heart Institute and the Sequoia Hospital. Dr. Kereiakes has been an original investigator for most interventional technologies introduced in the last three decades, including national/international Principal Investigator roles that have resulted in FDA approval for more than a dozen novel technologies. He has performed more than 30,000 catheterization laboratory procedures.

Dr. Kereiakes is an active clinical investigator and has participated in over 1,600 clinical research protocols. He has published over 1,000 journal articles, abstracts and book chapters, and has served on the editorial boards of all major cardiovascular journals. He has served as Section Editor for both MedReviews (New Drugs and Devices) and Circulation. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions.

About The Christ Hospital Health Network The Christ Hospital Health Network is an acute care hospital locate in Mt. Auburn with a remote hospital location in Liberty Township, five ambulatory outpatient centers and dozens of offices conveniently located throughout the region. More than 1,300 talented physicians and more than 6,000 dedicated team members support the Network. Its mission is to improve the health of the community and to create patient value by providing exceptional outcomes and the finest experiences, all in an affordable way. The Network has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the #1 hospital in the Cincinnati Region and awarded Healthgrades “America’s 50 Best Hospitals” for being in the top 1% in the nation for providing the highest clinical quality year over year. It is also a Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award recipient, which recognizes top-performing healthcare organizations that achieve the 95th percentile or above of performance in patient experience. The Christ Hospital is among a select number of hospitals in the nation to be awarded Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. For more than 130 years, The Christ Hospital has provided compassionate care to those it serves.

###