Dear Colleagues ,
It is our privilege to present the annual report for the UAB Cardiovascular Institute ( CVI ). Our continued focus is on enhancing and growing our heart and vascular services to meet the needs of patients in Alabama and beyond . During the previous year , we cared for more than 86,000 unique lives across our clinical services , with patients coming to UAB from every county in Alabama and from 44 U . S . states . Our clinical programs continue to provide a full spectrum of cardiovascular and vascular-related services to patients , from preventive care to complex surgical interventions and heart transplantation .
We are pleased to once again be recognized among the top cardiovascular programs in the nation by U . S . News & World Report . Throughout the pages of this report , you will see highlights of several recognitions earned by our clinical programs for the quality of care provided to patients . One unique recognition came from the Guinness World Records , which named a UAB patient from the early 1990s as the longest survivor of a double heart-valve replacement ( 31 years and counting ). These are the types of outcomes we continually strive to attain for our patients and their families .
The CVI welcomed several new faculty members to our team as our services continue to grow , and we are launching new programs to augment existing treatment options . One new development highlighted in this report is the creation of a Cardiogenomics Program , which provides comprehensive , well-coordinated care to patients with inherited cardiovascular conditions or associated risks . We also are excited to announce that Nicole Lohr , MD , PhD , FACC , joined us as co-director of the CVI and director of the UAB Division of Cardiovascular Disease .
Thank you for your ongoing interest in our programs and for your continued partnership in caring for patients . We look forward to collaborating with you in the future and stand at the ready when our services are needed .
James Davies , MD CVI Co-Director
Nicole L . Lohr , MD , PhD CVI Co-Director
Adam Beck , MD CVI Quality Director