Our Structural Heart and Valve Disease Team

It takes many different types of heart specialists to diagnose and treat structural heart and valve disease. At the Swedish Cherry Hill Campus in Seattle, Wash., the Structural Heart and Valve Disease Program creates an environment in which these physicians can work together to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients with structural heart disease.

You may meet with one or more team members to discuss your options and to determine the care that is best for your particular needs. A representative from your team will contact you at regular intervals to:

  • Update you on the process
  • Schedule appointments
  • Answer your questions
  • Ensure your care is carefully coordinated 

Meet the Team

Physicians

Santanu Biswas, M.D., structural heart imaging, general cardiology
Sameer Gafoor, M.D., medical director, structural heart disease Sidakpal Panaich, M.D., structural heart disease, interventional cardiology

Nurse Practitioners/Physician Assistants

Hannah Goettle, ARNP
Hodo Mohamud, ARNP
Amanda Ray, ARNP

Coordinators

Thearry Deap, Program Coordinator
Zachary Newhart, Program Coordinator

Specialized Care

In addition to physician specialists, the Structural Heart and Valve Disease team at the Swedish Heart & Vascular Institute (SHVI) includes nurses, nurse practitioners and technicians who specialize in caring for patients experiencing structural heart disease, and dedicated administrative personnel. These specialists have many years of advanced training and years of experience. Specialists include:

cardiologists

physicians who have received additional training in diagnosing and treating diseases and abnormalities of the heart

heart surgeons

physicians who have received additional surgical training in diagnosing diseases and abnormalities of the heart, and treating them using open-heart surgery or procedures performed through a catheter

interventional cardiologists

cardiologists with additional training in treating diseases and abnormalities of the heart through the skin (percutaneous) or a catheter

electrophysiologists

physicians with additional training in evaluating the electrical aspects of body functions, such as the electrical activity of the heart, and diagnosing conditions caused by abnormal electrical activity

anesthesiologists

physicians or nurses with additional training in the use of medicines that put you to sleep or make you drowsy, so your pain is controlled and you are relaxed during surgery or other procedures

specially trained nurses

licensed healthcare professionals trained to provide medical care and attend to the needs of sick or injured individuals, especially those in a hospital

nurse practitioners

registered nurses with additional training that can provide medical care, order tests and prescribe medicine without the direct supervision of a physician

physician assistants

licensed health care professionals who can diagnose and treat medical conditions, order tests and prescribe medicine