Lankenau Heart Institute, Main Line Health, Names Basel Ramlawi, MD, System Chief of Cardiac Surgery
“We are thrilled to have Dr. Ramlawi join the team at Main Line Health,” says Phil Robinson, FACHE, President, Lankenau Medical Center. “Dr. Ramlawi’s impressive clinical experience and extensive research background further enhance our ability to provide cutting-edge cardiac care to our patients throughout the region and beyond.”
In his position at Main Line Health, Dr. Ramlawi will assume the role of co-director of the Lankenau Heart Institute, Main Line Health’s team of cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons and subspecialists seamlessly integrated into one uncompromising service focused on prevention, diagnostics, treatment, rehabilitation and disease management. In particular, Dr. Ramlawi will oversee the ongoing clinical enrichment of the Lankenau Heart Institute’s Cardiac Surgery program.
“I am honored to take the helm of such a nationally renowned cardiac surgery and research team, to lead such excellent physicians and continue to build Main Line Health’s reputation for best-in-class heart and vascular care,” says Dr. Ramlawi. “It is a privilege to lead the team toward more innovative, advanced treatments that maintain the same quality care we would want for our own families.”
Dr. Ramlawi most recently served as chairman of the Heart & Vascular Center at Valley Health System, comprised of six hospitals in Virginia, where he served as founding director of their Advanced Valve and Aortic Center. Additionally, he led a service that offered integrated care for patients with aortic disease, available only at a few hospitals in the nation, involving collaboration among cardiothoracic and vascular surgeons, interventional radiologists, structural cardiologists and internal medicine physicians. Prior to joining Valley Health System, Dr. Ramlawi held positions at world-renowned health systems including the Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center in Houston, Texas, Columbia University and NY-Presbyterian Hospital.
“Dr. Ramlawi’s experience builds upon an already strong foundation in minimally invasive cardiac surgical intervention and advanced cardiovascular research through Main Line Health’s Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, and further positions our program among the most comprehensive and progressive cardiac surgical programs in the broader region,” says William A. Gray, MD, System Chief of Cardiovascular Diseases and President of Lankenau Heart Institute. “I look forward to working with Dr. Ramlawi so that we can continue to advance the high-quality cardiac care we provide in the communities we serve.”
Dr. Ramlawi earned his medical degree from McMaster University Medical School in Hamilton, Canada, followed by cardiac surgical training at the University of Western Ontario. He then completed a postdoctoral fellowship funded by the National Institutes of Health and earned an MMSc degree from Harvard Medical School. He subsequently completed an advanced clinical fellowship in heart failure and minimally invasive valve surgery at Columbia University.
He has received several prestigious awards, including the American Heart Association’s Vivien Thomas Award, The American Federation for Medical Research Henry Christian Award, and the Detweiler Fellowship from The Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada. He was also selected as one of Houston's Top Forty Under Forty Award recipients by the Houston Business Journal. Dr. Ramlawi has co-authored over 85 medical and scientific papers, abstracts and book chapters. He is an active speaker at national and international cardiology and cardiovascular surgery conferences. His research interests include clinical outcomes and technological innovations within cardiovascular care, specifically heart valve repair, aortic pathology, atrial fibrillation and heart failure.
About Main Line Health
Main Line Health® is a not-for-profit health system serving the greater Philadelphia region. The System comprises five hospitals, seven health centers, more than 160 outpatient and physician practice locations, over 14,500 employees and more than 2,200 employed and independent physicians and advanced practice providers.
Founded in 1985, Main Line Health includes four of the region’s most respected acute care hospitals — Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital and Riddle Hospital — as well as Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, one of the nation’s premier facilities for rehabilitative medicine. The System also includes Mirmont Treatment Center, which provides treatment and support for substance use disorders; Main Line Health HomeCare & Hospice; Main Line HealthCare, its employed multispecialty physician network; Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, a leading biomedical research organization; and Main Line Health Centers offering primary and specialty care, lab, radiology and other outpatient services in Broomall, Collegeville, Concordville, Devon, Exton, King of Prussia and Newtown Square.
Main Line Health brings together physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, researchers and other healthcare professionals across a broad network of inpatient, outpatient, home-based and community-based services. Through this integrated approach, the System delivers high-quality, comprehensive care across the continuum — from primary care and preventive services to complex specialty, surgical, trauma, emergency, rehabilitative, behavioral health, home care and hospice services — with a focus on making care accessible in the communities where people live and work.
Main Line Health also collaborates with leading clinical partners to expand access to specialized care. Through its affiliation with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, pediatric care is provided at select Main Line Health locations, including neonatal intensive care units at its acute care hospitals and Bryn Mawr Hospital’s Inpatient Pediatric Unit and Emergency Department. Jefferson Health neurosurgeons and neurointerventionalists also provide 24/7 specialized care, including neurointervention and lifesaving stroke care.
About Lankenau Heart Institute
Lankenau Heart Institute is Main Line Health’s premier comprehensive cardiovascular program, bringing together cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons and advanced practice providers across the System’s four acute care hospitals: Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital and Riddle Hospital. Through a coordinated approach, the Institute offers a full continuum of high-quality cardiovascular care — from prevention and diagnostics to clinical trials, advanced treatments and rehabilitation — with a commitment to excellence in outcomes and patient experience.
A nationally recognized leader in innovation and exceptional clinical outcomes, Lankenau Heart Institute is at the forefront of minimally invasive and transcatheter procedures for coronary revascularization, valve repair and replacement, complex aortic surgery and the treatment of advanced heart failure and arrhythmias. Its pioneering work in robotic-assisted and beating-heart techniques and minimally invasive and robotic valve repair continues to shape the future of cardiovascular care. With a robust and influential presence in national clinical trials, its physicians regularly participate in groundbreaking research focused on new therapies, technologies and procedures, primarily through less invasive approaches.