CHICAGO, IL – September 2, 2025 – Jessica Lopez doesn’t remember being able to see. The 32-year-old from Chicago, Ill., spent most of her childhood in a hospital, battling leukemia and retinoblastoma that would leave her completely blind. Although years of chemotherapy would help treat the cancers, it would lead to other health problems later in life.  

In November 2023, Lopez was engaged to be married when she found out she needed a new heart and a new liver. She was in heart failure from cardiomyopathy, a type of heart disease affecting the heart muscle, and the impact had spread to her liver. Lopez was listed for a double-organ transplant at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and spent one year on the waiting list. During that time, her condition began affecting a third organ. Lopez no longer needed just a heart and liver – she also needed a new kidney.  

Despite being considered high-risk for the procedure, Lopez says she was never scared. 

“I’ve always been a very positive person, and I don’t like to ever think negatively,” said Lopez. “I was confident from the very beginning that my doctors at Northwestern Medicine were going to do this successfully.”

Finding the right match

Triple-organ transplants are incredibly rare, with only 59 transplants of the heart, liver, and kidney recorded in the U.S. to date. Specialized teams with the Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute (BCVI) and the Northwestern Medicine Organ Transplant Center had performed a successful triple transplant in the past and were ready to take on Lopez’s case.  

“From the day I met her in clinic, I knew we were going to pull out all the stops to do what we needed to do to get her feeling better,” said Benjamin Bryner, MD, a cardiac surgeon at Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. “She has an attitude that’s really positive, she’s endearing, and has a great sense of humor. Just walking out of the clinic room, I thought, ‘this is going to be tricky, but we absolutely have to do this.’”

Wait times for triple-organ transplants are often longer than those for single-organ transplants since all three organs must come from the same donor. This can complicate the organ approval process, as sometimes two out of three organs may match but not the third. 

“When you have multiple failing organs, along with a patient who is young and has heart damage due to chemotherapy as opposed to the usual heart disease, it gets a lot more complicated,” said Dr. Bryner. “It’s unusual to find a recipient who can safely get through this complex of an operation.”

On February 24, three organs became available, and Lopez went in for her transplant. Lopez’s heart and liver were transplanted together before a different group of surgeons could move on to the kidney. 

“We transplanted the heart and liver in one block to limit the amount of time the organs go without blood or oxygen,” said Juan Carlos Caicedo, MD, transplant surgeon and surgical director of the Liver Transplant Program at Northwestern Medicine. “The heart and the liver stay connected the whole time from the donor to the recipient. While Dr. Bryner was doing the heart transplant, we were sewing the liver graft. You have two surgeons working simultaneously and that’s one of the advantages of our team.” 

Looking to the future

Lopez is now thriving with her new heart, liver, and kidney, and has been in remission from cancer for 20 years. 

“I feel like I was reborn again,” said Lopez. “I have more energy, my heart beats much stronger and my hands are even warmer. I’m incredibly grateful for my organ donor and their family. Because of their selfless decision, I’ve been given a second chance at life and can start planning for my future.”

Despite being blind with multiple medical challenges, Lopez never tells herself there’s something she can’t do.

“If I have to go somewhere I use landmarks when traveling on my own,” said Lopez. “My phone has accessibility to access rideshare and social media apps. When cooking for myself I use my hands to locate items on the stove. I cook things like rice, seafood, and spaghetti. It’s just about setting my mind to it.”

After recovering from surgery, she plans to attend Loyola University Chicago to study criminal investigation. She hopes to pursue a career in forensics and dreams of one day collecting evidence at crime scenes. 

Lopez and her fiancé, Christopher, are now planning a wedding in California and hope to tie the knot in 2026.  

Cancer’s toll on the heart

An estimated 18 million cancer survivors are currently in the United States and the number is expected to increase to nearly 22 million by 2030. Unfortunately, the same treatments that have improved outcomes for treating cancer can also damage the heart. 

According to the National Cancer Institute, adult survivors of childhood cancers are 10 times more likely to develop coronary disease and 15 times more likely to develop heart failure than their siblings. Treatment-related cardiovascular side effects – known as cardiotoxicities – are also common among survivors of adult cancers.

“When you think about life being unfair, Jessica was dealt a really difficult hand,” said Jonathan Rich, MD, a heart failure and heart transplantation cardiologist at Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. “As an infant, Jessica was diagnosed with cancer and found a way to be a cancer survivor. But in her case, the treatment she needed to become a cancer survivor likely led to her developing heart failure. It feels really unfair. Unfortunately, we do see this and in her in case I think that’s exactly what happened.” 

The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute offer a collaborative Cardio-Oncology Program. The program provides seamless care between cardiology and oncology services for patients affected by cancer. 

To learn more about heart failure and transplant options, visit nm.org.

CHICAGO, IL – February 14, 2025 – Over the past two decades, the Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute (BCVI) has become a global destination for life-saving therapies, breakthrough procedures, and research that has transformed cardiovascular care. Founded on Valentine’s Day in 2005, BCVI was created with a generous gift from local philanthropist Neil G. Bluhm who wanted to help Northwestern Medicine meet the growing need for world-class cardiovascular care in Chicago and beyond. 

“I felt it would be important to the city that we have a great heart hospital instead of a situation where the wealthy were traveling elsewhere and everybody else was not getting great treatment,” said Bluhm. 

 After 20 years, with hundreds of thousands of patients treated and countless lives saved, Northwestern Medicine physicians, nurses, staff and patients will celebrate BCVI’s 20^thanniversary on February 14 during American Heart Month. 

 Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death, but breakthrough discoveries and new technologies are dramatically lowering that burden. To date, the BCVI team of more than 186 specialized cardiologists, cardiac and vascular surgeons have accomplished milestones such as:  

• Ranked among the top 10 cardiology, heart, and vascular programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for the last nine years
• Ranked among the top 20 hospitals in the world for cardiac surgery with over 900% growth in procedures since BCVI began
• Treated patients from at least 27 countries and all 50 states
• Seventh ranked patient-preferred hospital in the nation for heart care
• 95% patient satisfaction in 2024 
• Best heart failure survival in the nation
• Among the top 15 hospitals in the nation for heart attack survival
• First in the world to implant the Impella BTR heart pump
• Among the first in the nation to offer pulsed field ablation to treat atrial fibrillation  
• Secured $100 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health since 2020 
• Recruited more than 40 top-talent physicians over the last three years
• Home to three American Heart Association (AHA) Presidents
• A record six AHA Strategically Funded Research Networks totaling $25 million
• Home to three of the most highly cited scientific authors, top 1% in the world 

“This anniversary is a tremendous milestone for the Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute and underscores our commitment to our patients and the communities we serve,” said Howard Chrisman, MD, president and chief executive officer, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “Our steadfast commitment to grow and expand access to world-class heart care throughout the Chicagoland area has been and will always be a driving force for Northwestern Medicine.”

A gift from the heart 

In the early 2000’s, Bluhm was treated at Northwestern Memorial Hospital for heart issues. On February 14, 2005, he generously donated a $10 million gift, and the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute was born. The gift facilitated the recruitment of renowned cardiothoracic surgeon Patrick M. McCarthy, MD, a world leader in cardiac surgery, with the goal of building a world-class heart and vascular program accessible to all Chicagoans. 

 Along with several other gifts over the years, in February 2022, Bluhm and the Bluhm Family Charitable Foundation announced a $45 million gift to establish the Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Heart Hospital at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The gift expands cardiac care capacity and addresses health equity by supporting under-resourced Chicago communities, including the soon-to-open Northwestern Medicine Bronzeville Outpatient Care Center. 

 “The transformation has been stunning. From a relatively small program we grew into a powerhouse with BCVI facilities across the region and growing every year. Mr. Bluhm’s generous gift allowed us to hire and train the best doctors and teams of care providers and rapidly adopt transformative new technologies and procedures,” said Dr. McCarthy, who is now the executive director of BCVI. 

Expanding care and saving more lives 

BCVI’s rapid growth can be attributed to its ability to recruit and train top-tier talent. Douglas Johnston, MD, surgical director of BCVI and chief of cardiac surgery, has been the force behind the recent meteoric rise of the cardiac surgery program. Since joining BCVI in 2022, Dr. Johnston has grown the program by a staggering 42%. BCVI performs about 2,750 cardiac surgeries per year, compared to 250 cases 20 years ago, and BCVI performs one of the highest volumes of surgical and transcatheter heart valve procedures in the country.

 “We’ve seen exceptional growth at our downtown campus and in our regional programs. Waiting for an appointment is one of the most frustrating things for a heart patient with a new diagnosis, and our goal is to decrease wait times and improve access for all patients,” said Dr. Johnston. 

 BCVI’s success has allowed the program to treat more patients and stimulate job growth in the Chicago area. In 2005, the institute had 300 employees and treated 1,000 new patients annually. Today, BCVI has 2,400 employees and treats 48,000 new patients each year.

 Anchored in downtown Chicago, BCVI has expanded across all Northwestern Medicine locations and is now integrated into nine Northwestern Medicine hospitals. This makes it possible for patients to receive most cardiovascular care in locations close to home, only traveling downtown for highly complex procedures. 

 “The landscape for heart failure treatment has transformed remarkably over the last two decades, offering patients more options and more hope than ever before. We have achieved the best heart failure survival rates in the U.S. for two consecutive years. This success is rooted in a highly integrated system of care, where patients receive state-of-the-art treatment close to home. We are now expanding this model across our network to ensure excellence in care for all our regional programs,” said Jane Wilcox, MD, associate chief of cardiology at BCVI.

 Taking the future to heart 

Through its partnership with Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, BCVI researchers are pushing the boundaries of cardiovascular treatments through ongoing clinical trials. Their discoveries drive advancements that lead to better therapies, minimally invasive procedures, quicker recovery times, and improved patient outcomes. 

• BCVI helped introduce a non-surgical valve replacement procedure for the sickest patients with aortic stenosis. 
• BCVI helped accelerate FDA approval for new technology to replace a leaky tricuspid valve through a catheter. 
• Clinical investigators helped secure FDA approval for blockbuster medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Jardiance. 
• The BCVI Clinical Trials Unit has more than 10,000 research study participants enrolled in 100 ongoing clinical trials.
• 3,100 cardiac and vascular manuscripts published over the last three years.
• Twelve national principal investigators represented in clinical trials.

 “Every breakthrough or technological advance began with a question, often at the bedside. From that curiosity spawns research and via research discovery ensues. It is the steady arc of relentless research that fuels best patient outcomes and we in the BCVI are on the leading edge of scientific discovery,” said Clyde W. Yancy, MD, MSc, chief of cardiology at BCVI and vice dean of health equity at Feinberg School of Medicine.

 Leveraging their advancements over the past 20 years, BCVI leaders are making strides towards innovations that will improve patient lives for generations to come, including: 

• The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) such as machine learning to identify patients with advanced heart failure and patients at risk of developing atrial fibrillation and heart disease
• Combating a sonographer shortage by using an algorithm to automate measurements on echocardiograms
• Studying whether using a smartwatch to monitor atrial fibrillation could alleviate lifelong reliance on blood thinners 
• Engineering human heart tissue to better understand a range of cardiovascular conditions 

 “When we started this journey 20 years ago, the iPhone hadn’t been invented, and today we use artificial intelligence to read all electrocardiograms. Replacing heart valves without surgery was science fiction, and now it is everyday practice. Thanks to Mr. Bluhm, and the talented team we have built, the next 20 years should be just as transformative as the last 20 years,” said Dr. McCarthy.

 For more information on BCVI and cardiovascular treatments, visit NM.org/heart. 

CHICAGO — Northwestern Medicine announced a new initiative with Peloton, launching a 30-minute heart health walk featuring Peloton Instructor, Matt Wilpers, and Northwestern Medicine’s Clyde Yancy, MD, chief of cardiology.  The class coincides with Heart Awareness Month, and is the latest addition to Peloton’s Health Centered class collection, which includes conversations with medical advisors on how to incorporate movement for lifestyle goals and chronic conditions.

“Collaborating with Peloton on such an important topic as heart disease will have a meaningful impact on patients and Peloton members,” said Howard Chrisman, MD, president and chief executive officer, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “Leveraging Dr. Yancy’s heart care expertise and Matt Wilpers’s health and exercise experience is the perfect combination for class participants to gain heart health knowledge while having an enjoyable workout experience.”

The newly launched class seeks to raise awareness of the importance of heart health. According to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups. To address this staggering reality, the class invites participants to take a step towards building healthy habits with Matt and Dr. Yancy in a workout about heart health as they walk to some of your favorite tracks.

“Typically, we promote heart healthy messaging in the scientific, and occasionally the lay literature, but promoting heart healthy lifestyles on a vibrant activity-oriented platform like Peloton is innovative,” said Clyde Yancy, MD, chief of cardiology, Northwestern Medicine. “Peloton embraces a robust engaged community capable of extending our messaging even further. That’s powerful. Creating a fun dynamic exchange promoting optimal lifestyle choices opens healthy possibilities we’ve never accessed before.”

As part of this initiative, Northwestern Medicine will have access to Peloton’s corporate wellness benefit offerings, which includes preferred pricing on memberships and equipment, and custom engagement experiences for employees. The health system is committed to delivering best-in-class wellness solutions for its workforce.

“With the support and expertise of Northwestern Medicine and Dr. Yancy, we’ve created a heart-healthy Peloton walking class designed for new and existing Peloton members, while also coordinating with Northwestern Medicine to make Peloton classes more accessible to their employees," said Greg Hybl, SVP and General Manager of Peloton for Business. “These health centered classes encourage Members to think of fitness as a commitment to overall well-being.”

Northwestern Medicine is Chicago’s premier integrated academic health system. Dedicated to providing the most advanced health care to patients, the health system is anchored by Northwestern Memorial Hospital. For 13 consecutive years, Northwestern Memorial has been named to the Best Hospital Honor Roll by U.S. News and World Report, with 11 specialties ranked nationally. Most noteworthy being, Northwestern Memorial is one of only three hospitals in the nation to receive a U.S. News rating of High Performing in all procedures and conditions. The health system’s cardiology program is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report and provides patients with access to state-of-the art therapies, highly specialized cardiovascular care and innovative clinical trials.

CHICAGO – Just three weeks before getting married, Annesley Clark (they/them/theirs) had to cancel their wedding. The 33-year-old from Chicago, Ill., had a life-threatening infection and a mass growing on their heart. Clark needed open-heart surgery right away.  

Because of the infection, the risks from surgery increased significantly and their outcome was uncertain. Clark and their partner, Christine Corso (they/them/theirs), were determined to say their vows before it was too late. 

The nursing staff at Northwestern Memorial Hospital had formed a special bond with the couple and despite not having much time, they pulled together a wedding in less than 24 hours.   

“Annesley is one of the most positive people I have ever met and constantly uplifts others,” said Tien Mai, a clinical nurse on 11W Feinberg at Northwestern Memorial. “They asked if it was possible to have a wedding the next day before surgery, and the moment I heard that, I made all the calls necessary. From blowing up balloons at the nurses' station to safely preparing them to walk down the aisle, my whole team made all the details perfect. Seeing Annesley smile as they walked down the aisle was the best feeling.” 

On October 9, one day before heart surgery, the nurses transformed the hospital waiting room into a wedding venue with balloons, decorations, flowers, and a makeshift altar. Clark’s close family, friends, and dozens of hospital staff gathered to celebrate their big day. 

“I am so grateful for the care that I’ve received from these doctors and nurses,” said Clark. “I have spent more than a third of the past 15 months at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Many of the nurses at our hospital wedding were invited to our planned wedding in November. We’ve built such a great relationship with these people, and I have come to feel so cared for and seen by them. They’ve seen me in times that are really rough and scary, and I’m so glad they got to witness the enormity of the joy today.” 

A race against the clock 

The wedding allowed Clark and Corso to enjoy a few hours of bliss during an otherwise unnerving time. While most couples look ahead to a honeymoon on their wedding night, Clark was preparing for open heart surgery.  

Benjamin Bryner, MD, a cardiac surgeon at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, says he normally opts for a minimally invasive way to operate, but in Clark’s case, the mass on their heart was too big. Despite the infection and a suppressed immune system making Clark a poor candidate, open heart surgery was the only option.  

“We wanted to get this mass out as quickly as we could because we were worried about a bloodstream infection,” said Dr. Bryner. “The infection was not going to go away until we got the mass out. We have to try not to disturb other structures, and we don’t want pieces of the mass to break off and get sent to other parts of the body. So, we settled on opening the heart up and taking the mass out directly. The safest way to do that was through cardiopulmonary bypass, which is like a safety net that cardiac surgeons build for themselves. That allowed us to open the heart and salvage all of the blood that was coming out. We could then see this mass really clearly, lift it out of the heart, and then close it back up. Everything went very smoothly just like we had hoped.” 

Clark underwent surgery on October 10 and the mass was successfully removed. They spent a few weeks recovering in the hospital and are now enjoying their new married life with a healing heart.

The newlyweds are looking forward to their first holiday season as a married couple, with a lot to be thankful for.

To learn more about heart surgery and other cardiac treatments, visit nm.org.  

CHICAGO – After serving 21 years in the U.S. Army, Louis Smith’s heart only functioned at 10 percent. The father of three from Country Club Hills, Ill., had been visiting the Advanced Heart Failure Clinic at the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center (JBVA) for about one year before his symptoms suddenly got worse. Just before Thanksgiving 2023, the then 65-year-old was told he needed a new heart.  

Louis was transferred to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where he waited just two weeks for his new heart. Before his transplant surgery on December 31, 2023, he wasn’t nervous, wasn’t scared, but did have one request for his surgeon.  

“Can you do me a favor? When you cut me, can you try to save the tattoo on my chest?” said Smith. “It’s a saying that me and my late father used to say. We would listen to ‘I did it my way’ by Frank Sinatra. That’s our saying. If you can please not destroy the tattoo, I’ll be just fine.” 

Benjamin Bryner, MD, a cardiac surgeon at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, made sure both the incision and stiches would preserve every inch of Smith’s tattoo.  

“Mr. Smith had some tattoos that we were eager to save as best we could,” said Dr. Bryner. “There’s no way to do a transplant without leaving a scar behind, but we did our best to make sure the tattoos would at least line up and we were happy with the final results.”

Serving His Country and Needing a New Heart

Smith enlisted in the Army when he was just 17 years old, following in the footsteps of his father. His more than two decades of service took him through tours in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Germany, and Korea, but feeling his heart begin to fail was something this soldier was not prepared for.  

“I used to wake up every morning around two o’clock,” said Smith. “It felt like somebody was either choking me or standing on my chest. And I couldn’t breathe. It was like somebody just turned off my air.” 

Smith suffered from cardiac amyloidosis, an underdiagnosed disease that causes heart failure. It occurs when protein builds up and is deposited in tissues where it isn’t supposed to be. This can lead to organ damage, notably in the heart. Cardiac amyloidosis impacts up to 25 percent of people over the age of 80, with African American patients at a higher risk.  

During his time in the Army, Smith was active and never had any issues with his health. He was 63 years old by the time he learned about the genetic condition he’s had since birth. Because his case was so advanced, not only did he need a heart transplant, but Sarah Chuzi, MD, a heart failure and heart transplantation specialist at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute and JBVA, recommended he be moved up on the list.  

“I went to visit him in the hospital and noticed he was short of breath just walking from his bed to the bathroom,” said Dr. Chuzi. “That was so out of character for him, so unlike him. I could tell that he really felt like things were changing rapidly. So, we recommended that he not only be listed for heart transplant but that he be listed at a very high status which gave him priority on the heart transplant list.”

Almost one year later, Smith is doing well and is back to his old routine. He enjoys spending time with his wife of 47 years, Jacquelyn, his three children, six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Smith is an avid biker, and often takes cross-country trips with friends on his motorcycle. He’s even taken one trip with his new heart.  

“I’m a soldier and a heart transplant survivor,” said Smith. “And I love my new heart.” 

More about the Advanced Heat Failure Clinic at the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center 

For more than 77 years, Northwestern Medicine has partnered with the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center (JBVA) in Chicago. Medical residents from the hospital system rotate through the VA clinic during their medical training, and it’s the longest-running academic affiliation in the VA system.  

In 2022, Sarah Chuzi, MD, a heart failure and heart transplantation specialist at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, established an Advanced Heart Failure Clinic at JBVA. Dr. Chuzi rotated through JBVA during her medical training and since then, she’s dedicated her career to helping veterans.

“The JBVA is very unique,” said Dr. Chuzi. “We serve about 62,000 veterans and about 70 percent of those veterans identify as Black. That is a population that is very underserved for a number of reasons. They face a lot of health barriers but also a lot of structural barriers to health like systemic racism, a lot of trauma, and PTSD. The combination of all these factors really does adversely affect their health.”

The clinic offers evidence-based heart failure care that includes medical therapy, devices, and other diagnostic tests and procedures. Patients from the heart failure clinic are often referred to Northwestern Medicine for specialized surgeries and treatments. Dr. Chuzi and her team will soon participate in heart failure clinical trials out of JBVA, including ones looking at new medications to improve patient outcomes.

To learn more about heart failure treatment options, visit nm.org. 

PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill. - Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital will now be home to the new Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute Outpatient Cardiology Clinic. Opening to patients on December 14, the clinic will feature 16 exam rooms — with two designed as “Clinic of the Future” models — one consult room, and dedicated clinician workspaces. An expanded cardiac diagnostics area, scheduled to open in early 2023, will offer heart failure and echocardiography rooms for cardiac testing procedures.

“The new outpatient clinic is the latest example of Northwestern Medicine’s commitment to provide outstanding clinical care close to where people live and work,” said R. Kannan Mutharasan, MD, medical director of Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Palos Hospital. “The opportunity for our clinicians to work together in a modern environment enhances collaboration and is more convenient for patients who may need to see more than one specialist or require frequent testing.”

The clinic is located in suite 1520 on the first floor of Palos Hospital at 12251 South 80th Avenue in Palos Heights. It will provide dedicated clinical space for 12 physicians and six advanced practice nurses, including general cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, cardiac electrophysiologists, heart failure specialists and cardiac surgeons. General cardiology will also continue to be available at Northwestern Medicine Orland Park, located at 15300 West Avenue, Suite 23, Orland Park.

Since launching at Palos Hospital in October 2021, Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute has introduced new cardiology services in the region, including CardioMEMS™, a device to monitor patients with heart failure, and the Shockwave system to treat calcified coronary arteries. Northwestern Medicine Cardiac Surgeon Andrei Churyla, MD, recently joined Palos Hospital to offer more advanced cardiac surgeries, such as total thoracoscopic maze for atrial fibrillation.

“Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute is dedicated to improving heart care by pioneering advanced treatments, performing groundbreaking clinical research, and incorporating innovative technology and artificial intelligence into clinical practice,” said Patrick M. McCarthy, MD, executive director of Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute and vice president of Clinical Integration for Northwestern Medical Group. “We are excited to expand this vision to the south suburbs with talented cardiologists and surgeons who are seeing patients at the new clinic at Palos Hospital.”

Two exam rooms are outfitted with large wall-mounted screens that face the clinician and patient for interactive visuals. Additional advancements planned in the coming months include ambient listening devices (with patient consent) that will test the ability to create clinician-facing documentation for the visit, generate orders and display patient-facing instructions. The concept may also test integration with patient wearables, such as a heart rate or blood pressure monitors.

“The ‘Clinic of the Future’ is about more than just the technology,” said Dr. Mutharasan. “It’s about connecting the patient and the clinician to humanize health care."

The new technology can enhance the overall patient experience and create a more coordinated plan of care, such as creating a seamless check-in, automating some nursing tasks, and improving the availability and accuracy of information.

Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute is an innovative powerhouse in developing the latest safest advances in cardiovascular care. Anchored in downtown Chicago, it has expanded and integrated into nine Northwestern Medicine hospitals. Consistently recognized as one of the top cardiology and cardiac surgery programs in the country, Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital is ranked the No. 8 Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Program in the country by U.S. News & World Report, 2022 – 2023, in the annual “America’s Best Hospitals” rankings.

For more information visit heart.nm.org.