Franciscan Health Indianapolis Cardiologist Named Fellow In Growing Specialty

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana - Vijay Rao, MD, PhD, a cardiologist with Franciscan Physician Network Indiana Heart Physicians has been named a fellow of the International Cardio-Oncology Society (IC-OS). He is the first in Indiana to be selected and among fewer than 15 worldwide.

Physicians who achieve fellowship status not only have clinical experience but also have passed a certification program and made contributions to the medical literature in the field of cardio-oncology. 

Cardio-oncology focuses on the heart health of patients undergoing cancer treatments. Some medications and treatments, including oral drugs and chemotherapy, can be harmful to heart function. In 2017, Dr. Rao and colleagues at Franciscan Health Indianapolis started a program to monitor patients at risk of heart issues when undergoing cancer therapies. He and his team were among the first in the country to begin creating protocols designed to preserve a patient's heart function while continuing with cancer treatments.

Earlier this year, the IC-OS named Franciscan Health a Center of Excellence: Gold Status for its cardio-oncology program. According to the society, 19 programs across the globe have earned its center of excellence status. Of those, 15, including Franciscan Health, have received the gold status, its top recognition.

Dr. Rao has participated in ongoing research in cardio-oncology and has been asked to present at several national conferences. He helped to establish the Indianapolis Cardio-Oncology Network, where four major hospitals in the city collaborate and present patient cases quarterly. Dr. Rao also launched the Cardio-Oncology subsection of the Indiana chapter of the American College of Cardiology to expand the knowledge of this field statewide.

Dr. Rao is medical director of the Franciscan Health Cardio-Oncology Clinic and director of Inpatient Heart Failure Care.