Clinical Innovation Initiative
Creating a better model for better care
About Us
The aim of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute is to ensure patients have the best care possible.
The Clinical Innovation Initiative supports and engages our health care providers to help them deliver optimal care for their patients. We do this by helping our clinical members integrate the latest scientific evidence and medical protocols into their practices and by inspiring them to take part in research and innovation activities.
Our Initiatives
The Libin Cardiovascular Institute is committed to enhancing clinical and research activities by promoting and fostering collaboration. The Clinical Innovation Initiative brings together clinicians and investigators with common interests to facilitate cross-disciplinary research and to enhance patient care.
Our Libin groups explore minimally invasive cardiac surgery, arrhythmias, aortic conditions, heart failure and mechanical circulatory support, nuclear cardiology, cardiology, amyloidosis, cardio-oncology, and adult congenital conditions.
Clinical research is key to improving patient experiences and outcomes. Our initiative connects physicians with experienced researchers to strengthen academic knowledge and leadership potential within our clinical membership. We are achieving this in two ways: through an academic mentorship program, which includes a grant competition; and through a leadership development program.
Medicine is a fast-paced and ever-changing field. Led by Dr. Vikas Kuriachan, this program supports our clinical members. We do this through an informal peer support group, which allows our clinicians to connect and share ideas. We also provide extra support when needed with things like providing wellness packages to those in COVID-19 quarantine.
This collaboration... is a win for the patients. It’s also a win for clinicians as it will act as a springboard for research and quality improvement
Dr. Michelle Keir, MD
Member, Calgary Aortic Program
Our Team
Heather Agren, RN – Director, Clinical Innovation Initiative
Heather is a registered nurse with 22 years of experience working in the Cardiac Intensive Care, Cardiovascular Intensive Care and Cardiac Catheterization lab at the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary. She is a former Clinical Nurse Educator and the founder of a community engagement project called Compression Only Resuscitation for Everyone (CORE) that aims to teach the life-saving skill of compression or “hands-only” CPR. In 2019, Heather took on her role at the Libin Cardiovascular Institute, where she liaises with clinicians across Calgary.
Dr. Nowell M. Fine, MD - Clinical Director
Dr. Fine is a heart failure cardiologist and echocardiologist in Calgary. He is an associate clinical professor of Cardiac Sciences, Medicine and Community Health Sciences at the Cumming School of Medicine and the clinical director of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute. Dr. Fine directs the Clinical and Research/Core Echocardiography Laboratories and co-leads the Heart Failure research program. Dr. Fine’s clinical and research interests are in heart failure and infiltrative cardiomyopathies, particularly cardiac amyloidosis and Anderson-Fabry disease, and he is director of the Amyloidosis Program of Calgary and Calgary Cardiac Amyloidosis Clinic as well as the co-principal investigator for the Canadian Registry for Amyloidosis Research.
Dr. Vikas Kuriachan – Wellness Initiative Lead
Dr. Vikas Kuriachan is a professor in the Department of Cardiac Sciences and specializes as an electrophysiologist/cardiologist. He is the clinical and academic department head for Cardiac Sciences, Alberta Health Services, Calgary Zone, and University of Calgary. He joined Cardiac Sciences Department and Libin Institute Cardiology in July 2010 after completing a year of complex ablation training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital / Harvard Medical School. His Cardiology and Cardiac Electrophysiology training were in Calgary and Internal Medicine at University of British Columbia. He was one of Calgary Avenue Magazine’s Top 40 under 40 in 2013. His clinical and research interests include ventricular arrhythmia management and new electrophysiology and cardiac implantable electronic device technologies.
Samantha Morahan - Clinical Engagement Specialist
Samantha is a dedicated liaison to the Department of Cardiac Sciences, guiding clinical members in fostering collaborations and advancing impactful initiatives. She leads the planning and execution of the Clinical Innovation Initiatives such as Heart Failure, the Calgary Aortic Program, Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery, and Cardio-Oncology. She welcomes clinical members to connect for any inquiries or suggestions they might have.