Download Francisco A. Arabia, MD MBA Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Francisco A. Arabia, MD MBA
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, California, USA
310-423-3851
[email protected]
Francisco A. Arabia, MD MBA, is the Surgical Director of the Mechanical Circulatory Support Program at
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He specializes in heart failure surgery, heart transplantation
and the use of mechanical circulatory support in the acute setting, bridge to transplant and destination
therapy. Dr. Arabia has a degree in Biomedical Engineering from Tulane University. He earned his MD
degree at University of Pennsylvania. He was a Clinical Associate in Cardiac Surgery in the National
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the NIH between 1985 and 1987. He completed the General Surgery
Residency at Tulane University in 1990. Dr. Arabia completed Thoracic Surgery training at University of
Arizona in 1992. He remained in Cardiac Surgery at University of Arizona from until 2005 where he
wrote extensively on mechanical circulatory support. He became the director of heart transplantation
and MCS at Mayo Clinic Arizona from 2005 thru 2012. Furthermore, he established a program for the
City of Phoenix that made mechanical circulatory support available to patients in cardiogenic shock at
medical centers that did not have the technology available. He earned a MBA from University of Arizona
in 2006. He recently relocated Cedars-Sinai Medical Center as Surgical Director of the MCS program. His
interest continues to be in the areas of heart failure, especially right ventricular failure, and the need
indications for ventricular assist devices and total artificial hear. He has travel extensively in the US,
Europe, Asia and South America to discuss the latest techniques and outcomes with the technology. He
has participated as surgical proctor in surgical techniques for the placement of different devices, patient
selection and postoperative management throughout the world. His most recent area of interest is in
identifying the elements that are required for the growth of a MCS program. This includes education of
the referring health care providers, hospital personnel, community emergency and outpatient services.
In addition, how medical organizations combine the guidelines from ISHLT, data from INTERMACS and
AHA recommendations to improve the performance of their coordinators, technical support, and
educators that will lead to better practices and outcomes.
The MCS Council is positioned to continue to lead and innovate. At the annual meeting in Montreal, Dr.
Simon Kusne presented data on VADs Infection Practices that was obtained as a survey. The Council can
take this example to obtain device practice patterns across many areas in programs worldwide. I would
like to take the opportunity within MCS to explore better practices and the dissemination of this
information for better outcomes.