VCU news

By Sathya Achia Abraham

The late Charles L. Baird Jr., M.D., a pioneering cardiologist with strong ties to Virginia Commonwealth University, was known for his lifelong mission to help people. Now, his legacy of medical excellence will continue on with the establishment of the VCU Medical Center’s Baird Vascular Institute - a new one-stop shop for the diagnosis and treatment of vascular disease and other conditions.

This week, the VCU Medical Center, together with members of the Baird family, and distinguished guests, celebrated the opening of the Baird Vascular Institute. The new center is located in Richmond’s near West End.

Interventional radiologists and vascular surgeons at the Baird Vascular Institute offer a multidisciplinary approach to vascular disease. The center offers patients diagnosis and treatment of peripheral vascular disease, renovascular disease, carotid disease, aortic aneurysms, varicose veins, uterine fibroids and vertebral body compression fractures. Placement of portacaths and other catheters and an array of cosmetic procedures will also be offered.

Baird, the first cardiologist to perform cardiac catheterization in an outpatient setting, was the founder and director of the Virginia Heart Institute, which first opened its doors in 1972. The very building that once housed the Virginia Heart Institute - which was one of the nation’s first licensed outpatient cardiac hospitals - has been transformed into the VCU Baird Vascular Institute.

The project was made possible through a generous donation from Jane B. Baird Hyde, who bequeathed the building and land to VCU in memory of her late husband who passed away in 2008.

“Dr. Baird was such a wonderful man and made such an impact on this community and now his name can live on,” said Sheldon Retchin, M.D., CEO of the VCU Health System and vice president for Health Sciences at VCU.

“This is a multidisciplinary effort – a radiologic specialty and a surgical specialty coming together as only can be done at MCV. This is a collaboration that will serve patients, educate the community and in the end, provide input for research for the future.”

In addition to patient care, the Baird Vascular Institute will be dedicated to patient and community education. A community room on the second floor offers a location for health lectures and more. The institute is now accepting patient.

For more information visit www.vcuvascular.com.