July 24, 2023 — Lee Health’s Dr. Paul DiGiorgi has been named the incoming president of the Florida Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons. Dr. DiGiorgi was previously secretary/treasurer. He will replace immediate past president Dr. Gregory J. England from Panama City Beach.
As president, Dr. DiGiorgi will focus on continuing the Society’s mission of advancing cardiothoracic surgical care in the state of Florida through education and collaboration across specialties.
“I am honored to serve as president of the Florida Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons and I look forward to showcasing our Lee Health program,” said Dr. DiGiorgi. “Our program remains the top program in the region by volume and advanced, high-risk care. Through clinical research, team building and collaboration we have extensive experience across a wide array of cardiothoracic diseases.”
Dr. DiGiorgi is part of the largest and longest-running cardiothoracic program in Southwest Florida. Lee Health’s Shipley Cardiothoracic Center was the first in the region and the second healthcare system in the country to perform a commercial transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure. The Shipley Center offers comprehensive care through its valve and atrial fibrillation centers and multiple clinical trials. Additionally, The Shipley Center maintains an ongoing educational role for biomedical engineering students at FGCU.
Dr. DiGiorgi recently received the American Heart Association’s 2022 Dr. Pascotto Golden Heart Award, which recognizes a medical professional who has made a lifelong contribution to improving heart health within the community.
Dr. DiGiorgi is also the Department of Surgery Chairman. He has been with Lee Health for 15 years and served as the co-chair for Lee Health’s Medical Staff Quality Committee, the chair of the Robotic Steering Committee and Atrial Fibrillation Working Group. He is also a past Lee Memorial Foundation board member.
He received his Doctorate of Medicine from New York University and completed his general surgery residency at the University of Connecticut Health Center, cardiothoracic surgery residency at the New York School of Medicine and his fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.
In addition to his role as president, Dr. DiGiorgi also serves on the by-laws and membership committee as well as the education committee of the Florida Society of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery.
The Florida Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons meets once a year for three days to discuss scientific research and efforts to advance the care of cardiothoracic surgical patients in Florida.
The Florida Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons was formed in 1967 after a group of thoracic surgeons who attended the Florida Society for Pulmonary Disease meetings decided to form a separate surgical society for cardiovascular and thoracic ailments. The initial president was elected every year to serve a one-year term until 1984 when the term increased from one to two years.
About Lee Health
Since the opening of the first hospital in 1916, Lee Health has been a health care leader in Southwest Florida, constantly evolving to meet the needs of the community. A non-profit, integrated health care services organization, Lee Health is committed to the well-being of every individual served, focused on healthy living and maintaining good health. Health care services are conveniently located throughout the community in four acute care hospitals, two specialty hospitals, outpatient centers, walk-in medical centers, primary care and specialty physician practices and other services across the continuum of care. Learn more at www.LeeHealth.org.
