Dr. Andrew Krahn, Head of the VGH Pacemaker Clinic, Head of Cardiology, UBC Faculty of Medicine, and researcher with VCH Research Institute
Dr. Andrew Krahn, an internationally recognized expert in cardiac arrhythmias, is joining Vancouver Coastal Health – as a cardiac surgeon and researcher, implanting heart rhythm devices and conducting research in this area, and as the Head of the VGH Pacemaker Clinic. Dr. Krahn is also appointed as Head of Cardiology in the UBC Faculty of Medicine.
Wearing many hats as the Sauder Family and Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC & Yukon Chair in Cardiology, and the Paul Brunes UBC Professor in Heart Rhythm Disorders, Dr. Krahn’s work comes with a mix of duties to improve diagnosis and therapeutic approaches for arrhythmias, and better understand the underlying genetics of the condition.
As part of his responsibilities, Dr. Krahn will be building research and teaching capacity in cardiology across the entire province. This will converge with his clinical work at Vancouver Coastal Health, Providence Health Care, PHSA, and beyond, with the creation of a provincial network of clinics and telemedicine capabilities, bringing improved health outcomes to people with arrhythmias – a condition that affects an estimated 7,000 people in BC. This network will also reach family members of inherited arrhythmia patients, who will be screened and treated as necessary for the condition.
“An example of how my different hats intersect might be teaching a resident in clinic about an inherited genetic problem in a patient, and in the care process, enrolling that patient in a research study to improve diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, or better understand the underlying genetics of their condition,” says Dr. Krahn. “My research lab is my clinic and I work with an amazing team in genetics, paediatrics, nursing, and genetic counselling who support our goals of advancing research and cardiac training in BC.”
Dr Krahn’s recruitment is supported by VGH + UBC Hospital Foundation, Heart and Stroke Foundation, and the UBC Faculty of Medicine Development Office.
For the full media release, click here. For more information on VCH Research visit www.vchri.ca.