Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) celebrates its 37th anniversary of providing advanced cardiovascular care to communities in south Louisiana and beyond.
CIS began with the vision of Dr. Craig Walker, who started the practice in Houma, La. in 1983. Since then, CIS has grown to more than 65 physicians, 900 team members, 20 locations, and nine telecardiology sites across Louisiana and Mississippi.
CIS treats all forms of vascular disease, including heart disease, peripheral artery disease, and venous disease in the legs, as well as valve disease and heart arrhythmias. CIS is known for many cardiovascular “firsts” such as the first peripheral stent trial in 1988 and the first coronary stent trial in 1989. “From the beginning, we sought out new techniques and helped to develop techniques to better care for our patients,” said Walker.
Most recently, CIS has utilized its telemedicine capabilities through its Virtual Care Center in Lafayette to provide telecardiology visits to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. CIS was also named as one of the Best Places to Work in Healthcare by Modern Healthcare. CIS continues to grow and expand with the upcoming Ambulatory Surgery Center in Gray, La., new expert physicians joining the team, new telecardiology partnerships with rural hospitals, and expansions at both the Thibodaux and Baton Rouge clinics.
“I take great pride in the fact that CIS has grown into one of the largest and most comprehensive cardiovascular programs anywhere in the world,” said Walker.