Ballad Health is welcoming ETSU Health's adult cardiology
specialists to the CVA Heart Institute at 2428 Knob Creek Road.
ETSU Health and Ballad Health announced on Monday, March 24, an enhanced partnership in cardiology services designed to enhance training for medical students and future cardiologists while also ensuring access to the most advanced cardiac care for the region.
Led by Ballad Health CVA Heart Institute, Ballad Health is welcoming ETSU Health’s
adult cardiology specialists to the CVA Heart Institute located at 2428 Knob Creek
Road, Suite 201, in Johnson City, Tennessee. ETSU Health Pediatric Cardiology will
continue practicing in the current location at ETSU Health’s 329 N. State of Franklin
Road clinic in Johnson City.
This partnership gives ETSU Health’s faculty providers the opportunity to continue
overseeing their patients’ care with expertise, while allowing medical students, resident
physicians and fellows in East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine
programs the opportunity to learn and practice within a robust heart institute setting.
“This transition gives physicians participating in Quillen College of Medicine’s cardiology
fellowship program the opportunity to train under a wide variety of specialists who
are providing the full spectrum of cardiological care at the region’s premier heart
institute,” said Dr. Vijay Ramu, ETSU’s cardiology fellowship program director. “Similarly,
it will broaden and strengthen the experiences for our resident physicians and medical
students, further enhancing the training for the next generation of providers.”
ETSU’s cardiology program is a three-year, fully accredited program with a total of
nine fellowship positions. This specialized training occurs after physicians have
already graduated from medical school and completed a three-year residency program,
during which they train under an experienced physician.
ETSU Health’s cardiologists will continue to serve as faculty at ETSU’s Quillen College
of Medicine, paving the way for increased access to quality healthcare for our region.
“Through this effort, we are strengthening our commitment to bringing exceptional
care to underserved regions. We’ve seen many times that community collaboration can
strengthen the health and well-being of our community,” said Dr. Bill Block, ETSU
Health’s chief executive officer and dean of the Quillen College of Medicine. “The
region’s trauma network, Niswonger Children’s Hospital, and Highlands Sports Medicine
are all powered by ETSU Health through partnerships with Ballad Health. All have seen
phenomenal gains for our community’s health and safety, and we are excited to see
what this new collaboration will bring.”
Ballad Health’s CVA Heart Institute connects patients with an extensive network of
cardiologists, cardiovascular specialists and surgeons, alongside innovative techniques
and services. This nationally recognized network has convenient locations in Kingsport,
Johnson City, Greeneville and Mountain City.
"Collaboration is the heartbeat of progress. By joining forces, our ETSU cardiology
fellowship program and this esteemed 50-physician cardiovascular group create a powerful
synergy—expanding expertise, enriching education, and advancing clinical research,”
said Dr. Thomas Helton, president of Ballad Health CVA Heart Institute. “Together,
we take a bold step forward for our community and healthcare system, ensuring the
highest level of cardiovascular care for generations to come."
East Tennessee State University was founded in 1911 with a singular mission: to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. Through its world-class health sciences programs and interprofessional approach to health care education, ETSU is a highly respected leader in rural health research and practices. The university also boasts nationally ranked programs in the arts, technology, computing, and media studies. ETSU serves approximately 14,000 students each year and is ranked among the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of debt.
With 30 clinical sites and more than 300 health care providers, ETSU Health is on the front lines of efforts to improve the health of Northeast Tennessee by offering leading-edge health care in dozens of specialties. ETSU Health is the outward-facing brand that includes the pursuits of ETSU’s thriving Academic Health Science Center and the clinical components of ETSU Physicians & Associates and Northeast Tennessee Community Health Centers Inc. For more, visit ETSUHealth.org.
Ballad Health is an integrated community health improvement organization serving 29 counties of the Appalachian Highlands in Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, Northwest North Carolina and Southeast Kentucky. Our system of 20 hospitals, post-acute care and behavioral health services, and a large multi-specialty group physician practice works closely with an active independent medical community and community stakeholders to improve the health and well-being of close to one million people. By leading in the adoption of value-based payments, addressing health-related social needs, funding clinical and health systems research and committing to long-term investments in strong children and families in our region, Ballad Health is striving to become a national model for rural health and healthcare. Learn more at www.BalladHealth.org.
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