Dr. Patel named 'Physician of the Year' at St. Luke's

THE WOODLANDS, Texas--Sanjay Patel, MD, Cardiologist, has been named the “2014 Physician of the Year” by St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital (SLWH).

Each year, SLWH physicians are nominated for the award by the hospital’s management team and staff based upon their commitment to quality and excellence in healthcare, demonstrated level of patient-focused care, and leadership among their physician peers and patient care staff.

During a recent “Doctors Day” celebration held on the hospital campus, Debra F. Sukin, President, SLWH and St. Luke's Lakeside Hospital, and Senior Vice President of CHI St. Luke’s Health, presented Dr. Patel with a commemorative plaque in recognition of his dedication to quality healthcare.

Presently, Dr. Patel serves as Medical Director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at St. Luke’s Performance Medicine, a department of SLWH, and he serves as a provider in the hospital’s Executive Health Program. He is one of the very few interventional cardiologists in the country to perform cardiac catheterization and angioplasty through radial artery (wrist) access, as opposed to traditional femoral artery (groin) access. Radial artery access has shown to minimize bleeding complications to nearly zero, increase patient comfort by quick recovery, ambulation, and same-day discharge after angioplasty and improve patient outcome. He also is actively involved in teaching seminars to promote this safe and minimally-invasive radial catheterization technique to increase community awareness and adoption among cardiologists across the U.S.

In addition, he is a presenter for SLWH’s lecture series “Coffee with the Cardiologist” and also provides nursing in-service classes. He joined the medical staff of SLWH in 2008 and has established an independent cardiology practice on the campus.

“Dr. Patel is passionate about interventional cardiology and comprehensive cardiovascular care,” said Sukin. “This was most notable when he became the first board-certified interventional cardiologist in Montgomery County to use a micro-sized insertable cardiac monitoring device, allowing a physician to diagnose and treat even the most difficult to detect cardiac arrhythmias. It is through his leadership, commitment, and passion for the highest quality that St. Luke’s continues to excel in the area of elite cardiovascular core. We are proud to recognize him as Physician of the Year.”

Dr. Patel added, “It’s a great honor to be recognized as St. Luke’s Physician of the Year. The staff here is incredible and together we’ve made tremendous growth and progress in cardiac care. In addition to embracing and implementing technology, the administration here shows great support for physicians, which facilitates excellence in patient care. It is a privilege to be a part of CHI St. Luke’s Health.”

St. Luke’s The Woodlands Hospital is located at 17200 St. Luke’s Way in The Woodlands, at the southwest corner of SH 242 and I-45. For more information, call 936-266-2000 or visit the website below.