Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute celebrates 20 years of saving lives

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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.”

Neil Bluhm (left) and Patrick McCarthy, MD (right)

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.

Douglas Johnston, MD (left) Patrick McCarthy, MD (left center) Charles Davidson, MD (right center) Clyde Yancy, MD (right)

 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.

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 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.