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Rizzo to Spearhead BWH Cardiac Surgery at Cape Cod Hospital
Robert J. Rizzo, MD, FACS, has been named chief of Cardiac Surgery at Cape Cod Hospital (CCH). Rizzo will maintain his cardiac surgery practice at BWH, while also overseeing the joint program at CCH, which is slated to begin in the near future. After extensive postdoctoral training at BWH, including serving as chief resident of Cardiothoracic Surgery from 1989 to 1991, Rizzo has since served as an associate surgeon in BWH’s Division of Cardiac Surgery. Rizzo specializes in aortic surgery, heart valve replacement and repair and coronary artery bypass surgery.
BWH has received cardiac surgery referrals from CCH over the years, but the formal affiliation was solidified when CCH was one of three community hospitals in the state to be approved for open-heart surgery by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in April 2001. Each of the three hospitals was required to pair with a Boston tertiary teaching hospital in order to provide this service to patients. BWH was selected at CCH’s partner.
When plans and logistics are finalized for the joint cardiac surgery program, a BWH cardiac surgical team will be at CCH following BWH’s protocols and standards. Through BWH’s continuum of care, the new joint service will offer routine cardiac surgery to area residents at CCH, while complex cardiac surgery will be referred to BWH. An estimated 100 cardiac surgery cases will be performed at CCH during the first year of the affiliation.
In order to execute the affiliation, Rizzo will balance his week between the two institutions. In addition to facilitating the cardiac surgery training, implementing standards, protocols and clinical systems, he will recruit a fellow and another cardiac surgeon to assist in this new affiliation. Rizzo will also be working closely with cardiac anesthesiologists, nurses, perfusionists, physician assistants and surgical technicians, who will all have an impact in the success of the program.
Two cardiac surgery operating rooms have been constructed at CCH’s campus in Hyannis. Other steps have also been taken to make sure the waiting areas, ICU, and other post-operative areas meet the needs of cardiac surgery patients and their families.
“I look forward to spearheading this effort of bringing top quality cardiac surgical care to a more convenient location for patients on and around Cape Cod,” said Rizzo, who has provided care for hundreds of Cape residents who’ve been referred to BWH. Because CCH has already served as a referral institution for BWH cardiac surgery over the years, Rizzo has already established solid working relationships with the CCH cardiologists, which will benefit both institutions as the joint program moves forward.