After he arrived at the medical school almost two years ago as chair of the Department of Medicine, Santhosh Koshy, MD, MBA, got to work on what he saw as a critical need in the community – the expansion of advanced cardiovascular health services and easier access to care for heart disease and its prevention.
Now, that vision has come to fruition as Dr. Koshy, who is board certified in interventional cardiology, began seeing patients in January at the new WMed Health Cardiology practice on the Oakland Drive Campus.
Dr. Koshy has expertise in the management of atherosclerotic cardiac and peripheral diseases, including minimally invasive and endovascular treatment strategies. His new clinic is open on Tuesdays from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. and is now accepting new patients.
Dr. Koshy said he is excited that preventive and long-term cardiac health maintenance is being added to the already large array of services provided by WMed Health.
“At WMed, we have dedicated physicians in different departments who provide care to the people who need medical care the most, and the new clinic will support them with access for care of heart diseases for their patients,” Dr. Koshy said. “ I’m thrilled that we’re now able to provide advanced cardiovascular health services to patients who otherwise may not have good access to healthcare. We’re providing that easy access to our patients and that’s really where the value comes from.”
Dr. Koshy said if more advanced treatment modalities are needed for patients to maintain their health, they are then transitioned to tertiary and quaternary advanced cardiac care through the services provided by Kalamazoo’s two hospitals, Ascension Borgess Hospital and Bronson Methodist Hospital.
Dr. Koshy said he is also excited that the new clinic will serve as a training ground for WMed students and resident physicians in the future. As part of the launch of the new practice, students and residents could complete elective rotations at the clinic and gain valuable experience with cardiac procedures and cardiac care, he said.
“We need more cardiologists,” Dr. Koshy said. “Heart disease is increasing and is the No. 1 killer in the world so I am thrilled that the clinic will also benefit our learners and potentially serve as a stepping stone for them into the field of cardiology.”
For more information about the WMed Health Cardiology practice, please call 269.337.6300 or email imclinic@wmed.edu.