Your Collaborative Team
The Benefis Heart & Vascular Institute Team
The Benefis Heart & Vascular Institute is led by Dr. Alfredo Ramirez, MD, a board-certified, fellowship-trained cardiothoracic surgeon who serves as Chief. Dr. Dimitrios Koudoumas, MD, PhD is a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon on the surgical team. Together they anchor a cardiac surgery program handling about 50 open-heart cases per year, supported by cardiac surgery advanced practice providers.
The cardiology group includes 3 interventional cardiologists covering the cath lab and STEMI call, 1 electrophysiologist managing arrhythmia care and device services, and general cardiologists including a long-tenured physician within the organization. Four nurse practitioners support cardiology, including Martin Camacho, ACNP, managing follow-ups, stable patients, care transitions, and hospital consultations. This structure lets you focus on complex cases, new evaluations, and diagnostic work.
Dedicated cardiac technologists handle echocardiograms, stress tests, and nuclear imaging, alongside nursing, medical assistants, and administrative staff. Locum coverage currently supplements the team while permanent recruitment continues, with some locums committed long term.
Cardiac Team and Support
- Chief, Heart & Vascular Institute: Alfredo Ramirez, MD (cardiothoracic surgery)
- Cardiovascular and thoracic surgery: Dimitrios Koudoumas, MD, PhD
- 3 interventional cardiologists for cath lab coverage and STEMI call
- 1 electrophysiologist for EP studies, ablations, and device management
- General and non-invasive cardiologists, including a long-tenured physician
- 4 nurse practitioners supporting cardiology, including Martin Camacho, ACNP
- Cardiac surgery advanced practice providers
- Dedicated cardiac technologists for echo, stress testing, and nuclear imaging
- Integrated cardiac rehab team
- Nursing, medical assistants, and clinic support
- Administrative support for scheduling, prior authorizations, and referrals
- Access to 440-plus employed providers across specialties for consultation
Practice Culture and Physician Retention
Benefis reports physician turnover of 5.4%, below national averages of 15 to 20%. Physicians stay because the administration supports them, the community offers a high quality of life, and the practice lets them focus on patient care rather than productivity pressure.
Monthly leadership meetings give direct access to senior physician and administrative leaders. The CEO, in place for more than 20 years, engages with physician issues and approves improvements, shown by the new 20-exam-room cardiac clinic.
As an independent not-for-profit, Benefis can invest in programs, facilities, and physician support without the uncertainty seen in corporate or private-equity-owned systems.
Collaborative Practice Environment
The cardiac specialties are co-located, which supports direct coordination rather than the silos common in larger systems. Cardiologists, surgeons, and electrophysiologists work in the same space and coordinate cases through shared Epic records.
Beyond cardiology, 440-plus employed providers across specialties give you referral and consultation access. Complex patients can receive care in-house across neurosurgery, gastroenterology, pulmonology, neurology, endocrinology, and rheumatology, which reduces transfers to academic centers.
Key Features
- Co-located cardiac specialties in one facility
- Multidisciplinary case conferences
- Teaching opportunities with residents and medical students
- Physician wellness programs
- Shared Epic EMR across all providers
- Regional referral base and hospital partnerships
- Physician leadership opportunities as programs expand
- Ongoing recruitment to strengthen the cardiac team
Building the Team
With Dr. Ramirez now leading the Heart & Vascular Institute, the organization is investing in physician leadership and program direction. As a permanent member of the group, you will have a voice in how the cardiac program develops, which services expand, and how the practice structure supports both physician satisfaction and patient care. Current locum coverage creates continuity challenges, which makes permanent physicians central to building long-term stability.
Your arrival helps recruit additional cardiologists who want to join a stable, growing group. The need remains for additional general cardiologists, and as permanent physicians join, the program can expand services and develop specialty clinics.
Provider directory: https://www.benefis.org/find-a-provider/
