Cardiothoracic Surgery in the Washington, D.C. Region Expands

Johns Hopkins Surgery
Ocotober 18, 2017

Since Suburban Hospital began its cardiothoracic surgery program in 2006, the team has performed more than 4,000 procedures. Surgical outcomes for this program have met or exceeded those at other hospitals in the region and nation in every parameter measured by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Database. One way to make this program even better, says Jacky Schultz, the hospital’s president, is to expand it and strengthen its connection with The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Suburban Hospital, located in Bethesda, Maryland, became a member of Johns Hopkins Medicine in 2009.

To that end, the hospital recently named Thomas Matthew as the new director of the Johns Hopkins Cardiothoracic Surgery Program at Suburban Hospital. Matthew, who received his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Harvard University and a master’s degree in surgical research from the University of Virginia, earned his medical degree from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. After completing his residencies in general and thoracic-cardiovascular surgery at the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, he spent 14 years at the Colorado Health Medical Group at the University of Colorado Health North, where he co-directed the cardiovascular service line.

Matthew brings specific expertise in complex coronary artery surgical revascularization, mitral valve repair and aortic valve replacement to the program, as well as a strong interest in working with other community physicians on meeting their needs, Schultz says.

“He’ll be living in the community and practicing here, building relationships with local referring physicians,” Schultz says. “These relationships will improve communication and access to our already-thriving cardiothoracic surgery program.”

In addition to his role at Suburban, Matthew has a faculty appointment and is employed with the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says Jennifer Lawton, chief of the Johns Hopkins Division of Cardiac Surgery. His dual responsibilities will help ease the transfer of Suburban Hospital patients with complex needs to The Johns Hopkins Hospital and facilitate more contact between the two hospitals. The groups are already planning to have joint mortality and morbidity conferences and use telemedicine to discuss difficult cases. They also plan to have joint grand rounds and recruitment of fellows.

“More communication between our teams will provide a larger scope of multidisciplinary discussion of patient cases,” she says. “Having a wider range of physician opinions and treatment options can only benefit our patients.”