The Cardiovascular Center at St. Joseph Hospital
Meet our surgeons
 

James M. Douglas Jr., M.D.

Dr. Douglas is Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery for St. Joseph Cardiothoracic Surgery Associates. He has special expertise in beating-heart cardiac bypass surgery and cardiac valve repair, including mitral valve repair.

Dr. Douglas describes St. Joseph Cardiothoracic Surgery Associates’ goal: “…provide the best of surgical care to a well-informed patient in a cordial atmosphere.”

He is a Fellow in both the American College of Surgeons and the American College of Chest Physicians as well as Board Certified in General and Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Dr. Douglas did his residency and fellowship training at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina where he was also an Assistant Professor of General and Cardiothoracic Surgery, Director of Thoracoscopic Surgery and Surgical Consultant to the Endocarditis service.

Drs. Edward A Zech, Jim Douglas and Richard Leone
From left to right: Drs. Edward A Zech, James M. Douglas, Jr. and Richard J. Leone

Dr. Douglas is a sought-after lecturer, regularly giving presentations to medical audiences all over the world.

 

Richard J. Leone, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Leone joined St. Joseph Cardiothoracic Surgery Associates in 2005. He completed fellowships in cardiothoracic surgery at The New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center and thoracic surgical oncology at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, both in New York City. He is formerly Assistant Professor of Clinical Surgery of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York and was Instructor in Cardiopulmonary Transplantation and Mechanical Cardiac Assist Devices at the University of Washington. His areas of expertise include adult cardiac and thoracic surgery, including valve repair and replacement, aortic surgery and surgery for heart failure.
 
 

Edward R. Zech, M.D.

Dr. Zech is a Cardiothoracic Surgeon for St. Joseph Cardiothoracic Surgery Associates. He too has special expertise in beating-heart cardiac bypass surgery and cardiac valve repair, including mitral valve repair.

“We try to treat the whole patient and the patient’s family while providing outstanding cardiac surgical care,” says Dr. Zech.

He is a Fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the American College of Chest Physicians as well as being Board Certified in Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Dr. Zech attended Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska and did his residency training in General Surgery at the United States Naval Hospital in Oakland, California. His residency for Cardiothoracic Surgery Training was done at the Oregon Health Services University in Portland, Oregon.

Before coming to St. Joseph Cardiac Associates, Dr. Zech served as Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the official hospital for the President of the United States, National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. He is an Assistant Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of Health Services in Bethesda, Maryland.

Cardiovascular Services