Joseph Chirichella, President and CEO of Deborah Heart and Lung Center, has announced the appointment of Aaron Kugelmass, MD, as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer.

Dr. Kugelmass joins Deborah from Baystate Health in Springfield, MA, where he has served as System Vice President, Medical Director, Heart and Vascular Program, and Chief of Cardiology Services. Prior to his tenure at Baystate Health, Dr. Kugelmass was an Associate Chief of Cardiology and Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Henry Ford Hospital and Health System in Detroit, MI; and, Associate Chief of Cardiology and Director of Interventional Cardiology at Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City.

Dr. Kugelmass earned his Medical Degree at Harvard Medical School, did his Residency in Internal Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and his Cardiology and Interventional Cardiology Fellowships at Beth Israel Hospital-Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Kugelmass is board certified in cardiology and internal medicine. His expertise is widely sought, and he frequently presents at national and international meetings, as well as publishing widely in JACC, Circulation, American Journal of Cardiology, and Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

“We are delighted that Dr. Kugelmass is joining Deborah,” said Chirichella. “He has extensive experience integrating and balancing the clinical needs of cardiovascular physicians with the business needs of successfully running a hospital. Throughout his leadership career, he has consistently heightened patient safety benchmarks and quality initiatives, both of which are critical mission cornerstones at Deborah. We are confident that Dr. Kugelmass’ progressive thinking supports the the future vision of cardiac, pulmonary and vascular care delivery, and will allow Deborah to continue to implement programs and processes that will benefit our patients, providers, and support teams, all of whom play key roles in growing a nationally-recognized cardiac program.”

In his spare time Dr. Kugelmass enjoys skiing, hiking, gardening, cooking, travel, and spending time with his wife and two sons.