Okyanos Heart Institute Interventional Cardiologist Elected to American College of Cardiology Board

Okyanos Heart Institute’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Howard Walpole Jr. to Serve as Trustee of Nonprofit Medical Association

Freeport, Bahamas, The, April 05, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Okyanos Heart Institute (http://www.okyanos.com/), which brings a new standard of care and a better quality of life to patients with chronic coronary artery disease (CAD), utilizing a European Union approved cell processing device, has announced that Howard T. Walpole Jr., M.D., MBA, FACC, FACAI, was elected to the board of trustees for the American College of Cardiology (ACC). Dr. Walpole is chief medical officer and interventional cardiologist at Okyanos Heart Institute, a Center of Excellence (CoE) adhering to U.S. surgical center standards and located in Freeport, The Bahamas. As a nonprofit medical association established in 1949, ACC advocates for quality cardiovascular care through education, research promotion, development and application of standards and guidelines, and works to influence health care policy. The ACC board of trustees consists of the officers of the College, the chair of the board of governors, and fellows elected at the annual meeting of the College. The board meets at least two times a year, and trustees are limited to a single five-year term. Walpole’s term ends in 2017.

Quotes:
“It is my honor and pleasure to serve on the board of trustees for the American College of Cardiology,” said Walpole. “I believe wholeheartedly in the College’s mission to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health. As a trustee, I am faithfully committed to our members and their patients, and I will work to ensure that the College continues to be a leader in the formulation of health policy, standards and guidelines, and a steadfast supporter of cardiovascular research.”

New Media Content:
Okyanos LinkedIn Home page
http://www.linkedin.com/company/okyanos-heart-institute

About Howard T. Walpole Jr., M.D., MBA, FACC, FACAI
Howard T. Walpole Jr., M.D., MBA, FACC, FACAI is chief medical officer and interventional cardiologist at Okyanos Heart Institute in Freeport, The Bahamas, which brings a new standard of care and quality of life to patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), utilizing a European Union approved cell therapy technology. Dr. Walpole is a prominent cardiologist in the United States and serves on the board of trustees of the American College of Cardiology. During his more than 25 years of practice, Walpole has performed approximately 5000 catheter-based interventions and 12,000 diagnostic catheterizations, as well as myocardial biopsies. Besides his present duties on the ACC board of trustees through 2017, his participation in the American College of Cardiology includes working on the board of governors chair-elect nominating committee, co-chairing the “Evolving Models of Clinical Practice” from 2009-2010 and chairing the “Cardiovascular Care Summit” for 2012. A longtime member of the American Heart Association, Walpole served two terms as the president of the Davidson County, Tennessee Chapter from 1996-1997 and 2009-2010. Previously, Walpole served as chief of cardiac sciences at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville, Tenn., a medical center with 3,300 employees and a service population of approximately 2 million across three states. He led the strategy and operations of the cardiac sciences division, which included 37 cardiologists, five cardiac surgeons and nine cardiac anesthesiologists. Prior to that, Walpole was the managing partner of The Heart Group, PLLC, where he directed an operating budget of more than $20 million and led the growth strategy which expanded the practice from seven cardiologists to 37 and developed 15 new clinic locations in middle Tennessee and southern Kentucky. Walpole received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Georgia, his M.D. from the Medical College of Georgia and his MBA from the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University in Georgia.

About Okyanos Heart Institute
Based in Freeport, The Bahamas, the Okyanos Heart Institute is a Center of Excellence (CoE) adhering to U.S. surgical center standards and led by Chief Medical Officer Howard Walpole Jr., M.D., MBA, FACC, FACAI, a leader of the American College of Cardiology for many years. The Okyanos Heart Institute brings a new option, standard of care and quality of life to patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), utilizing a European Union approved cell processing device. The Greek god of rivers, “Okyanos” symbolizes the primary mechanism of action that these adult stem cells have on ischemic (lack of blood flow) heart tissue, the result of the plaque deposits in the coronary arteries. The cells, derived from a person’s adipose (fat) tissue, create new blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis, and thus facilitate blood flow in the heart and intake and use of oxygen, as measured by a rigorous clinical trial known as the PRECISE trial, as well as cardiac cell-therapy trials at leading research institutions. For more information, visit http://www.okyanos.com/.

Anjelica Cummings
MMI Public Relations
(919) 233-6600
anjelica@mmipublicrelations.com
http://twitter.com/MMIPR
http://www.mmipublicrelations.com
Contact
Okyanos Heart Institute
Patty Briguglio
919-233-6600
ContactContact
Categories