HCA Midwest Health cardiac electrophysiologists join Heart Rhythm Society Board

Overland Park, Kan. — HCA Midwest Health, the region’s largest healthcare provider, today announced that Dhanunjaya “DJ” Lakkireddy, MD, a board-certified, fellowship-trained cardiologist and medical director of the Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute at HCA Midwest Health, and Rakesh Gopinathannair, MD, a cardiac electrophysiologist and director of cardiac electrophysiology laboratories with the Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute at HCA Midwest Health, have been elected to the prestigious Heart Rhythm Society board of trustees.

Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) is an international specialty organization representing more than 8,000 medical, allied health, and science professionals from more than 90 countries who specialize in cardiac rhythm disorders. It delivers programs and services to its membership based on its strategic plan under the guidance of its Board of Trustees.

Dr. Lakkireddy will serve as second vice president of the HRS board of trustees. He has more than 20 years of clinical experience and has specialized clinical expertise in electrophysiology, complex arrhythmia management, heart ablation, left atrial appendage closure (LAAC), pacemaker and other device implantation and management, cardiac resynchronization therapy and pulmonary artery pressure sensors in heart failure, premature ventricular contractions, syncope, adult congenital and inherited cardiac rhythm disorders and myocarditis. He is a professor of medicine at the University of Missouri-Columbia and a renowned leader in electrophysiology research and education.

Dr. Lakkireddy is the Chairman of the ACC Electrophysiology Council and is a member of the program committee for the Heart Rhythm Society. He is the recipient of numerous professional honors and awards and is a featured speaker in several national and international cardiovascular symposia.

Dr. Gopinathannair has more than 10 years of clinical experience and has performed more than 3,500 procedures including more than 2,000 catheter ablations, 1,500 device implantations, and 200 left atrial appendage (LAA) closure procedures. His research interests focus mainly on arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathies as well as implantable device therapy and complex arrhythmias in patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) for advanced heart failure. He is a professor of medicine at the University of Missouri-Columbia and an adjunct associate professor of medicine at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. Dr. Gopinathannair is also the chairman for the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) communications committee, vice chair for the American Heart Association (AHA) national electrocardiography and arrhythmias committee and is a member of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) electrophysiology leadership council.

“It’s an honor to be on the leadership track of the Heart Rhythm Society, and to serve as the second vice president this year,” said DJ Lakkireddy, MD, MBA, FHRS, cardiac electrophysiologist and executive medical director with Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute at HCA Midwest Health. “The organization has been a tremendous resource and home for electrophysiologists and heart rhythm patients alike.”

“The Heart Rhythm Society is the premier global society for cardiac electrophysiology,” said Rakesh Gopinathannair, MA, MD, FHRS, cardiac electrophysiologist and director of cardiac electrophysiology laboratories with Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute at HCA Midwest Health. “I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the organization, the Cardiac EP community, and our patients, as a member of the HRS Board of Trustees. The practice of EP is facing several challenges, and my goals will be to continue to advance the HRS mission, advocate for our members, and protect our field from future threats to EP practice.”

“On behalf of our health system, we congratulate Dr. Lakkireddy and Dr. Gopinathannair on their appointments to this esteemed organization,” said HCA Midwest Health President Keith Zimmerman. “They are passionate physicians and well-known in delivering state-of-the-art, high quality, compassionate cardiac electrophysiology care to our patients. There’s no doubt that their combined clinical expertise and leadership will make a positive, long-term impact in improving the field cardiac electrophysiology care throughout the country and worldwide.”