Chattanooga Heart Institute Announces Expansion

  • Friday, February 24, 2017

The Chattanooga Heart Institute announced it is expanding to better serve the heart and lung needs of people in the Chattanooga area. James Zellner, M.D., and Wilson Clements, M.D., are joining The Chattanooga Heart Institute’s team of 23 board-certified cardiologists to focus on advanced heart surgery and minimally invasive procedures. Rob Headrick, M.D. will focus on thoracic, or lung, care offering an even closer collaboration between specialists.

 

“We want to build on the legacy of quality care The Chattanooga Heart Institute has provided this community for decades,” said Larry Schumacher, CEO, CHI Memorial and SVP, Operations, Southeast Division, Catholic Health Initiatives.

 “This kind of experience and commitment can’t be built in a day, or even a year. We are committed to providing the revolutionary heart care you deserve and that’s beyond your expectations.”

 

“Collaboration between specialists is what makes The Chattanooga Heart Institute different,” said James Zellner, M.D., cardiothoracic surgeon.  “As a team, we work to get answers more quickly and offer our patients a level of care that’s not available at other hospitals in this region.” 

 

Officials said, "Revolutionary heart care is high-tech, but it must also be focused on you, the patient.  This kind of heart care is only available at The Chattanooga Heart Institute and pushes us to be better every single day."

 

Dr. Zellner received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Kenyon College in Ohio.  He completed his internship and surgical residency in the Department of Surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina where he was also chief administrative resident. During his time there, Dr. Zellner was also a research fellow and cardiothoracic resident, both in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery.  Dr. Zellner was on faculty at the Medical University of South Carolina as an assistant professor of surgery for four years before moving to Chattanooga.  He is currently a clinical assistant professor of surgery with the University of Tennessee, College of Medicine.  Dr. Zellner is board certified in both general and thoracic surgery.

 

Dr. Clements received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee.  He completed a surgical residency in the Department of Surgery at the University Hospital at the University of Cincinnati.  During his time in Cincinnati, he was also a post-doctoral fellow at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Cincinnati Department of Surgery, and Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology.   After Cincinnati, Dr. Clements completed a residency in thoracic surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.  He then went on for advanced training in robotic and minimally invasive cardiac surgery at East Carolina University in the Department of Cardiac Surgery.  After successfully starting and maintaining a robotic cardiac surgery practice in Cincinnati, he returned to his hometown to practice in 2015. Dr. Clements is board certified in thoracic surgery.

 

Dr. Headrick completed his undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering from Vanderbilt University.  He went on to medical school at the University of Tennessee in Memphis.   Dr. Headrick returned to his hometown of Chattanooga for his general surgery residency at the UT College of Medicine, Chattanooga Unit.  He then completed a fellowship in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery from the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota.  He again returned to his Chattanooga roots to begin his cardiothoracic career in 2000.   Dr. Headrick is board certified in both general and thoracic surgery.  In 2014, he completed an MBA from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

 

Drs. Zellner, Clements and Headrick will continue to see patients at their 2108 East 3rd Street office.  For more information, call 423 624-5200.

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