Life Changing Is ... Better Outcomes Through Innovation

David Loran, MD, Cardiovascular Surgeon

"Our mission is to provide this community with the best heart care possible."

Innovation is at the heart of the care that David Loran, MD, and the team at UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in Central Pa. provide.

Dr. Loran and his colleagues strive to provide patients with the most advanced cardiovascular care possible. Surgical innovations — including less invasive procedures — allow for better outcomes.

"We are dedicated to quality, we're dedicated to patient outcomes, and we're dedicated to providing new innovations," says Dr. Loran, chief, Cardiovascular Surgery, UPMC in Central Pa.

The dedication to innovation and outcomes means people in central Pennsylvania don't have to travel far for expert heart care. UPMC Harrisburg is part of the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute, a world-class cardiovascular center. Locations span the central Pennsylvania region, from Carlisle to Lititz and York.

"We see patients quite often who have already looked out to other institutions because they're unfamiliar with what we have available here in the region," Dr. Loran says. "But once we can educate them on the types of procedures that we offer and our quality outcomes, they realize that this innovation and high-quality care is right in their backyard here in Harrisburg."

UPMC Harrisburg recognized the importance of innovation many years ago, Dr. Loran says. The hospital's team stays at the forefront of research. They work with industry partners to get access to the latest innovations and clinical trials.

"Our physicians are committed at every level to better patient care, better outcomes, and providing the best innovative research possible for the patients," Dr. Loran says.

The team doesn't innovate just to innovate, however. They innovate to provide patients with better outcomes.

For example, Dr. Loran specializes in robotic surgery — a less invasive option than traditional open heart surgery. Robotic surgery uses smaller incisions, which leads to shorter recovery times for patients.

"I think what sets UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute apart is our dedication to patients, our dedication to the best outcomes, and our dedication to giving back to this community as best we can," Dr. Loran says. "Our mission is to provide this community with the best heart care possible."

The hospital also provides preventive care, including community heart screenings and education about preventing heart disease.

Treating patients with heart disease and seeing them get better makes Dr. Loran's job rewarding. He says anywhere between 60 and 70 people help to treat a single patient — including doctors, nurses, technicians, and many others. All of them are dedicated to seeing patients improve.

UPMC holds quarterly patient reunions in the region, where patients can come back and talk about their experiences after treatment.

"The joy and the elation they have on their face about how they just can't believe they've gotten back to their normal life and they're just so happy and thrilled to be back there — that's what it's all about," Dr. Loran says. "That's why we do this every day. I think patients choose UPMC for heart care because of our reputation, because of our outcomes, and because of our dedicated team."

At UPMC, Life Changing Medicine means improving outcomes through innovation.