Atizazul Mansoor, MD, Chair of the Heart and Vascular Institute at UPMC in Central Pennsylvania, and Samir Saba, MD, Professor of Medicine and Chief of Cardiology at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute

In this episode of the Becker's Healthcare Cardiology and Heart Surgery Podcast, Mariah Taylor interviews Dr. Atizazul Mansoor, Chair of the Heart and Vascular Institute at UPMC in Central Pennsylvania, and Dr. Samir Saba, Chief of Cardiology and Co-Director of the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute. The conversation centers on the growing crisis of cardiologist shortages in the U.S., with 22 million Americans lacking access to cardiology care. The two leaders discuss UPMC’s multi-pronged strategy to expand access, including opening new clinics in underserved areas, leveraging telehealth, reserving at least 20% of clinic slots for new patients, and ensuring patients can be seen within seven days. They emphasize the importance of workforce development through expanding fellowship programs in central Pennsylvania and shortening training timelines—such as the 'two plus two' model in electrophysiology—to attract more trainees. A key theme emerges: the need to strengthen primary care and allied health providers through education, empowering them to manage cardiac patients more effectively and reducing reliance on specialists. Both leaders agree that continuous education for providers is the top priority for improving long-term cardiovascular care delivery. The discussion highlights a systemic challenge: the aging cardiology workforce and declining interest in the specialty, which threatens future access. UPMC’s response combines local training pipelines with national trends toward accelerated training. The episode underscores that sustainable solutions require not just more cardiologists, but smarter deployment of existing resources and a team-based approach to care. The tone is forward-looking and solution-oriented, reflecting a deep commitment to equity, innovation, and lifelong learning in cardiology. The insights are particularly relevant for health systems facing similar workforce and access challenges.