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Dr. Robert Schweikert to succeed Dr. George Litman as service chief of heart program at Akron hospital
By Cheryl Powell
Beacon Journal medical writer
Published on Tuesday, Feb 12, 2008
A Cleveland Clinic cardiologist is taking over as leader of Akron General Medical Center's heart program.
Akron General announced on Monday that Dr. Robert Schweikert will become the hospital's service chief for cardiology, effective March 10.
The 44-year-old Akron native has been a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic since 2000.
Schweikert is replacing Dr. George Litman, who is stepping down after 35 years as Akron General's chief of cardiology.
Schweikert ''has a tremendous clinical skill set,'' said Dr. Richard J. Streck, Akron General's senior vice president for medical affairs. ''He's nationally known in his field. He's well published. He's a good educator. We just felt he would be able to provide a new generation of leadership for our cardiology program.''
Schweikert is among the Cleveland Clinic doctors who had been working at Akron General on a rotating basis since August through the hospital's contract with the Clinic to run and staff its Cardiac Rhythm Program.
The hospitals agreed to terminate that contract, effective Feb. 1, ''because of some staffing difficulties at the Cleveland Clinic,'' Streck said.
In addition, two other Cleveland Clinic cardiologists who had been working in Akron General's heart rhythm disorder program also are leaving for leadership roles at the Akron hospital.
Dr. Walid Saliba, a former interim section head of cardiac electrophysiology and pacing at the Clinic, will become Akron General's medical director of electrophysiology. The cardiology field focuses on diagnosing and treating abnormal heart rhythms.
Dr. Mohamed Kanj will become medical director of the hospital's electrophysiology lab.
The three doctors will be
employed by Akron General's Partners Physician Group.
Akron General officials approached Schweikert and the two other Cleveland Clinic doctors about joining the hospital after the Clinic indicated it could no longer provide staffing, Streck said.
''We're absolutely thrilled and excited about bringing these individuals on board,'' he said. ''They're extremely well trained, and they will allow us to move to the next level in clinical cardiology at Akron General.''
The Clinic doctors' exodus to Akron General comes two months after the hospitals agreed to forge a clinical affiliation that maintains separate ownership but opens the door to partnerships in research, patient services and health and wellness initiatives.
The hiring of Schweikert and the two other Cleveland Clinic doctors is not related to the affiliation deal, Streck said.
''The clinical affiliation remains intact,'' he said. ''From our perspective, we still have a great deal of respect for the Cleveland Clinic and plan to continue to work with them in the future.''
When asked about Akron General's decision to hire the three doctors from the Cleveland Clinic, Clinic spokeswoman Eileen Sheil said, ''We wish them well and look forward to collaborating in the future.''
The Clinic recently hired a head of electrophysiology and ''we continue to look forward to building our program in Cleveland and collaborating with physicians in Akron,'' she added.
After Schweikert joins Akron General next month, Litman will continue to serve as Akron General's chief emeritus for cardiology and director of cardiology education, as well chairman of internal medicine and professor of medicine at the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy.
He still will see patients at Akron General's Health & Wellness — West, located in the Montrose area.
''George Litman is one of the pillars of cardiology at Akron General,'' Streck said. ''Revered is not too strong a word. George has expressed a desire to turn the reins over to a new generation of leadership and was looking for the correct individual to do so.''
Cheryl Powell can be reached at 330-996-3902 or chpowell@thebeaconjournal.com.
A Cleveland Clinic cardiologist is taking over as leader of Akron General Medical Center's heart program.
Get the full article here.
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