Our History

Montefiore Einstein Cardiology has been at the forefront of visionary cardiac discovery and research for the past six decades. Our Center for Heart and Vascular Care is ranked in the top 1% of all hospitals in the nation for cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery by U.S. News & World Report. We focus on advanced, comprehensive prevention, diagnosis and intervention, which enables us to offer new therapies to patients at all stages of all types of heart and vascular disease. 

Montefiore Einstein Heart and Vascular Care Center has been at the forefront of innovative cardiology treatments for over 60 years. In 1958, Montefiore Einstein’s Seymour Furman, MD, in collaboration with colleague Doris J. W. Escher, MD, developed the first transvenous cardiac pacemaker. It was the size of a large radio. Today, the device is a fraction of the size and has had a significant impact on many lives. In 1960, Robert H. Goetz, MD, from our Albert Einstein College of Medicine, performed the world’s first coronary artery bypass operation. Like the pacemaker, this innovation has saved countless lives around the world.

Montefiore Einstein continues to be a leader in heart rhythm disorders, and interventional and minimally invasive cardiac procedures. We are at the forefront of treating heart failure with ventricular assist devices (VADs). The Center for Heart and Vascular Care is also a primary resource for patients requiring high-risk procedures, such as mitral and aortic valve repair, abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysm repair, and heart transplantation for both children and adults.

We are dedicated to delivering personalized treatment strategies that provide our patients with more options and improved clinical outcomes.