Why Choose CHRISTUS Heart and Vascular Institute
Heart care can involve much more than seeing a cardiologist.
You may need an electrophysiologist to treat an abnormal heart rhythm, an interventional cardiologist to open a blocked artery, a vascular specialist to address circulation problems or a cardiothoracic surgeon to perform a complex procedure. Conditions such as diabetes, sleep disorders and lung disease can also affect cardiovascular health.
That is why CHRISTUS Health has built the Heart & Vascular Institute around a broader approach to cardiovascular care.
Across communities including Tyler, Longview and Texarkana, Texas, and Alexandria, Louisiana, CHRISTUS Heart & Vascular Institute connects specialists, advanced procedures, diagnostic technology and hospital resources to help you receive the level of care your condition requires.
What distinguishes the institute is not one physician, procedure or piece of technology. It is the depth of expertise, continued investment, regional reach and evidence of quality behind the program.
More than a cardiology practice
Cardiovascular disease can become complex quickly.
Someone who begins experiencing chest discomfort may eventually need advanced imaging or cardiac catheterization. Someone experiencing an irregular heartbeat may require specialized electrophysiology care. Others may need treatment for vascular disease or evaluation for heart surgery.
The Heart & Vascular Institute model is designed to bring those capabilities together.
In Tyler, electrophysiologists and interventional cardiologists collaborate to develop individualized treatment plans. Cardiovascular specialists can also work with CHRISTUS clinicians in areas including vascular surgery, diabetes, lung care and sleep health when other conditions may be contributing to your cardiovascular health.
That connection matters because the heart does not function independently from the rest of the body.
Diabetes, for example, is a major cardiovascular risk factor. CHRISTUS has expanded endocrinology services in Tyler, with physicians and diabetes education specialists caring for people with diabetes and other metabolic conditions. Connecting you with appropriate specialists can help address more of the factors contributing to cardiovascular disease.
Similar depth exists throughout the CHRISTUS cardiovascular network.
In Longview, you have access to cardiology as well as cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, including minimally invasive and robotic-assisted approaches.
In Texarkana, services include cardiac catheterization, electrophysiology, open-heart surgery and vascular surgery, along with advanced procedures such as transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR; Watchman therapy for certain people with atrial fibrillation; and transcarotid artery revascularization, or TCAR, for carotid artery disease.
In Alexandria, CHRISTUS Heart & Vascular Institute includes interventional and noninvasive cardiology, cardiac imaging, electrophysiology and cardiothoracic surgery.
Together, those services create pathways for people whose needs may progress from prevention and testing to procedures, surgery and long-term management.
National recognition supports a commitment to quality
Expertise is important. Independent recognition is also an important indicator of quality.
One of the strongest examples can be found at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital in Tyler.
In 2018, the American College of Cardiology named the hospital the first recipient in the nation of its HeartCARE Center National Distinction of Excellence.
The American College of Cardiology describes HeartCARE Center recognition as its highest recognition for hospitals and health systems. The designation requires participating organizations to meet cardiovascular accreditation requirements, performance benchmarks and quality improvement standards.
In 2025, the Owen Heart Hospital again earned the HeartCARE Center National Distinction of Excellence.
The hospital also held American College of Cardiology accreditations related to cardiac catheterization, chest pain, electrophysiology and heart failure, as well as certification in transcatheter valve care.
Quality recognition extends beyond Tyler.
In 2026, CHRISTUS Heart & Vascular Institute in Longview received the American College of Cardiology's NCDR Chest Pain-MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for the fourth consecutive year. The recognition reflects adherence to performance measures for the treatment of heart attack patients.
Repeated recognition is meaningful because it reflects an ongoing focus on cardiovascular quality rather than a single accomplishment.
Specialized expertise for complex heart and vascular conditions
A cardiovascular institute becomes especially valuable when you can access specialists capable of treating increasingly complex conditions.
In Northeast Texas, CHRISTUS reports a cardiovascular network of approximately 70 heart specialists across 13 locations.
That network includes expertise in areas such as interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, heart failure, cardiovascular surgery and vascular care.
The Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital in Tyler provides services that include cardiac catheterization, electrophysiology, transcatheter valve procedures, specialized heart failure care and cardiovascular intensive care.
Longview has also expanded specialized heart rhythm care. The CHRISTUS Heart & Vascular Institute there introduced pulsed-field ablation for atrial fibrillation, an advanced approach used to treat abnormal electrical signals responsible for the condition.
In Texarkana, board-certified and fellowship-trained cardiology physicians work alongside electrophysiology, cardiovascular and cardiothoracic specialists. The program offers advanced therapies for structural heart disease, atrial fibrillation and vascular disease in addition to traditional cardiovascular services.
Alexandria provides another example of concentrated expertise. You can access interventional cardiology, noninvasive cardiology, advanced cardiac imaging, electrophysiology and cardiothoracic surgery through the institute.
The advantage is continuity. If your condition becomes more complex, additional expertise may already exist within the CHRISTUS cardiovascular network.
Investing in the future of cardiovascular care
Trust in a cardiovascular program also comes from seeing continued investment in new capabilities.
In Longview, CHRISTUS opened a new outpatient cardiac catheterization facility in 2025 as part of a $10 million investment that included new cath labs and advanced cardiac CT technology.
The cardiac CT scanner is capable of capturing images of the heart within a single heartbeat, helping physicians evaluate cardiovascular conditions using detailed imaging.
CHRISTUS also expanded the Longview cardiology team and introduced pulsed-field ablation for people with atrial fibrillation.
Texarkana has experienced similar growth.
CHRISTUS added six physicians and two advanced practice registered nurses to its cardiology program in 2024, expanding expertise in invasive, noninvasive and interventional cardiology as well as electrophysiology.
In 2025, CHRISTUS St. Michael performed its first Watchman implant for people with atrial fibrillation who meet appropriate criteria. At the time the program launched, CHRISTUS reported that St. Michael was the only hospital within a 70-mile radius providing the procedure.
That type of investment has a practical impact: advanced procedures that once required some people to travel to another city may now be available closer to home.
Bringing cardiovascular research to East Texas
Advanced heart care is also shaped by research.
In 2026, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital became one of the first sites in the United States to enroll people in the OPTIMIZE clinical trial for atrial fibrillation.
The study is evaluating an approach that combines pulsed-field ablation with electrographic flow mapping technology designed to help identify potential sources of atrial fibrillation.
Participation in clinical research gives qualifying individuals opportunities to access emerging approaches while helping physicians and researchers better understand how cardiovascular treatments may continue to improve.
For people in East Texas, it also means certain clinical research opportunities may be available without traveling to a major metropolitan academic center.
Expanding access across the region
Advanced cardiovascular care has limited value if you cannot reach it.
That is another area where the institute model makes a difference.
In Northeast Texas, CHRISTUS has built cardiovascular access across multiple communities while connecting people to the advanced resources available in Tyler.
In Longview, new technology, expanded physician expertise and outpatient cardiovascular facilities have increased the level of care available locally.
In Texarkana, CHRISTUS has expanded its cardiovascular workforce and advanced procedures while connecting people throughout the Four States region.
And in Central Louisiana, CHRISTUS expanded the Heart & Vascular Institute in 2024 by bringing established Alexandria cardiology practices into the CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini network. The program also reaches communities outside Alexandria, helping extend cardiovascular expertise throughout the region.
The result is a hub-and-network model. You can receive cardiology care closer to where you live while remaining connected to specialists, procedures and hospital resources if more advanced treatment becomes necessary.
Why you can put your heart in CHRISTUS
Choosing a cardiovascular program often comes down to several important questions.
Does the program have the right specialist for your condition? Can it provide advanced treatment if your condition becomes more complex? Is there evidence that the organization is committed to quality? Is it investing in newer technologies and procedures? And can you access that care without traveling farther than necessary?
CHRISTUS Heart & Vascular Institute has built its cardiovascular program around answering those questions.
National cardiovascular recognition supports its commitment to quality. Specialized physicians provide expertise across cardiology, electrophysiology, structural heart care, vascular medicine and cardiovascular surgery. Investments in technology and facilities continue to expand what can be treated locally. Clinical research is bringing emerging therapies to the region. And a growing network of locations helps connect you with cardiovascular expertise closer to home.
That is what makes CHRISTUS Heart & Vascular Institute more than a collection of cardiology practices.
It is a connected cardiovascular network designed to support you throughout the full journey of heart and vascular care, from prevention and diagnosis to advanced treatment, surgery, recovery and long-term management.
For communities across Texas and Louisiana, that means advanced cardiovascular care supported by expertise, investment, innovation and a commitment to keeping more care close to home.
