St. Francis announces cardiac partnership with Emory

St. Francis Hospital’s Cardiac Services program has announced an affiliation with The Emory Clinic’s Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, according to a release.

Dr. Hakob Davtyan, assistant professor in the Emory University School of Medicine and an Emory Clinic physician, joined the St. Francis’ staff in September. He joins Dr. Charles Anderson, a specialist in cardiothoracic surgery, in leading the team as its medical director, overseeing cardiothoracic surgery operations, as well as performing surgeries himself.

“Since 1974, St. Francis Heart Hospital has been dedicated to providing comprehensive cardiac care, offering rare and advanced cardiovascular care services,” said David Koontz, CEO of St. Francis Hospital. “Our affiliation with Emory’s internationally recognized cardiothoracic program will not only significantly expand our cardiovascular capabilities by bringing Emory’s School of Medicine’s expertise to St. Francis, but it will benefit patients throughout the Columbus region and beyond.”

Dr. Robert Guyton, chief of Emory’s Cardiothoracic Surgery Division and director of Cardiothoracic Research at Emory, will oversee the St. Francis Cardiothoracic Surgery service. In addition, the affiliation will enable the St. Francis Cardiothoracic Surgery service to align with Emory’s four existing Cardiothoracic Surgery programs: Emory University Hospital, Emory University Hospital Midtown, Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital, and the Emory Cardiothoracic Surgery program at Athens Regional Hospital, in Athens, Ga.

“We look forward to building this exciting partnership with the exceptionally qualified St. Francis Cardiac Services team,” said Guyton. “This partnership will enable our combined physician and advanced practice provider teams to expand access to life-saving cardiothoracic care to more Georgia citizens.”

Koontz said the hospital doesn’t plan any changes to its existing facilities related to the new association.

“St. Francis has a long-standing history of being a regional center of excellence for heart surgery and has adequate facilities to support an expansion of the St. Francis program,” Koontz said.

The Emory brand, well known in medical circles, will be used on signage on the building and in promotional materials, he said. Koontz also said the association will benefit St. Francis in other ways, too.

“We anticipate that the affiliation with Emory will help with the recruitment of top talent, not only in recruiting surgeons, but also in recruiting allied health professionals who assist in providing cardiothoracic care,” he said. “St. Francis has already benefited in recruiting from its affiliation with Emory.”

This story was originally published October 18, 2016 at 11:17 AM with the headline "St. Francis announces cardiac partnership with Emory."