Doctors touch the lives of their patients. But the hands of a chosen few indirectly touch the lives of millions.
Albert Starr, M.D., is one of those rare physicians. More than four decades ago, Dr. Starr developed the first successful artificial heart valve, enriching, extending and saving the lives of heart patients around the world for generations to come.
In September, Dr. Starr was recognized for his outstanding contributions to clinical medical research with one of the nation's most prestigious prizes, the Lasker Award. He was one of four scientists to receive this honor from the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation.
The artificial heart valve is a minuscule device that has had enormous reach and impact over the decades. Today about 90,000 heart-valve replacement operations are performed each year in the United States and more than 300,000 take place worldwide. Since that first successful surgery by Dr. Starr in 1960, those numbers add up to millions of people who otherwise would have suffered heart failure or premature death.
As medical director of Providence Heart and Vascular Institute, Dr. Starr has been a magnet for top heart physicians from around the world who have come to Providence to work alongside this medical pioneer. Together, following Dr. Starr’s model of innovation and excellence in patient care, this group of outstanding scientists, researchers and physicians has built the reputation of Providence Heart and Vascular Institute. Over the years, the institute has achieved international eminence and recognition, serving 13,000 patients annually at Providence St. Vincent and Providence Portland Medical Centers. In fact, Providence cares for more heart patients than any other hospital or health system in Oregon.
We applaud the monumental achievements of Dr. Starr who is making history and changing the future of cardiac care in the Northwest. His success is lauded by his patients, who recognized his genius and compassion long before the Lasker Award was announced.