BHS Physician named American College of Cardiology Fellow

Jeffrey C. Astbury has been elected as a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC), in recognition of his professional achievement and commitment to quality cardiovascular care. Dr. Astbury's Fellow designation will be officially recognized during the Convocation Ceremony on Sunday, March 19, 2017, in conjunction with the ACC's 66th Annual Scientific Session in Washington, DC.

Dr. Astbury has earned degrees in physics, electrical engineering and biomedical engineering, medicine, then completed cardiac anesthesiology and advanced echocardiography training. In addition to teaching several courses in echocardiography, he has published articles on hemodynamic modeling, electrophysiology and mitral regurgitation. He is board-certified in anesthesiology and double board-certified in preoperative and adult transesophageal echocardiography. Dr. Astbury is one of 15 physicians in the country to be certified four times by the American Board of Echocardiography. He the Director of Cardiovascular Anesthesiology at Butler Health System, where they have achieved the best Healthgrades scores in cardiac surgery in the state and in the top 5% in the country.

"The FACC designation has a long history of recognizing the top cardiovascular professionals in the world and honoring them for their commitment to advancing the field and ensuring patients get the best possible care," said ACC President Richard Chazal, MD, FACC. "Congratulations to Dr. Astbury for joining this elite group."

Fellows are elected based on their outstanding credentials, community contributions to cardiovascular medicine and recommendations from their peers attesting to their commitment to professional excellence.

"I am thrilled to receive this honor! I have invested 40 years of post-high school education, research and clinical experience to achieve the FACC distinction. I thank my mentors, especially Dr. Michael Malkowski and Dr. Sunil Mankad, for their commitment to excellence and their encouragement. I also thank my colleagues at Butler Anesthesia Associates, the BHS cardiac surgeons and BHS cardiologists for their support. I will spend the rest of my career learning, practicing and teaching the best cardiovascular care possible."

"Butler Health System has consistently earned accolades for its heart program and quality care, said Butler Health System President & CEO Ken DeFurio. “These accolades are a direct result of the fine, high-quality physicians who provide care, and lead the care team. Butler is proud of Dr. Astbury’s well-deserved achievement, and we honor this designation. We would not be the health system we are without people like him.”