Best hospitals for Cardiac Electrophysiology: A data-based guide to program capabilities

This analysis compares cardiac electrophysiology programs using documented physician roles, clinical services, research activity, procedure expertise, and available access information. It explains how hospitals differ in arrhythmia care, ablation, implanted devices, inherited rhythm disorders, and practical considerations such as insurance verification and continuing device follow-up.

What cardiac electrophysiology programs do

Cardiac electrophysiology focuses on the heart’s electrical signals and the arrhythmias that occur when those signals misfire. Hospital-based EP programs commonly evaluate atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia, bradycardia, fainting, and other rhythm problems through consultations, mapping, catheter procedures, and implanted devices. The supplied hospital information shows that ablation, pacemaker implantation, defibrillator placement, cardiac resynchronization, and device follow-up are recurring components of advanced rhythm care. 1 3 8

  • Catheter ablation for selected atrial, supraventricular, or ventricular arrhythmias
  • Pacemakers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, and cardiac resynchronization devices
  • Evaluation of complex, inherited, genetic, or structural rhythm conditions

UCSF and Cleveland Clinic profiles

UCSF identifies Edward P. Gerstenfeld, MD, MS, as chief of its Cardiac Electrophysiology and Arrhythmia Service. His documented expertise includes endocardial and epicardial ablation for atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, and ventricular tachycardia, along with care for Brugada syndrome, long QT syndrome, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and adult congenital heart disease. Cleveland Clinic identifies Oussama Wazni, MD, MBA, as Section Head of Cardiac Electrophysiology and Pacing and director or co-director of several arrhythmia centers. 1 2

  • UCSF location documented: Parnassus, San Francisco, California
  • Cleveland Clinic location documented: Cleveland, Ohio
  • Both records describe ablation and implanted-device expertise

Massachusetts programs and research depth

Massachusetts General Hospital’s profile for Moussa C. Mansour, MD, describes leadership of the Demoulas Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias and the Atrial Fibrillation Program. His work includes catheter ablation, pacemakers, defibrillators, left atrial appendage occlusion, and research into pulsed-field ablation. Mass General also lists Edwin K. Heist, MD, PhD, as an associate professor and clinical cardiac electrophysiology fellowship program director, with published work involving ablation for atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia, and device therapy. 3 8

  • Mansour’s profile reports Harvard Medical School professorship
  • Heist’s profile reports more than 150 peer-reviewed papers
  • Both profiles describe clinical research alongside procedural care

Johns Hopkins and Columbia capabilities

Johns Hopkins identifies Jonathan Chrispin, MD, as director of Ventricular Arrhythmia Research and describes a practice covering pacemaker and defibrillator implantation plus complex catheter ablation for atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. His research includes advanced cardiac imaging and artificial intelligence related to ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death risk stratification. Columbia’s profile for Angelo Bartolo Biviano, MD, lists clinical cardiac electrophysiology, cardiovascular disease, a five-star rating based on 208 ratings, new-patient scheduling information, and locations in New York City and White Plains. 4 10

  • Johns Hopkins record includes pediatric through older-adult age categories
  • Columbia record identifies virtual visits and insurance information
  • Published profiles do not establish comparative clinical outcomes

Regional options in Minnesota and Oklahoma

Allina Health Minneapolis Heart Institute describes a heart rhythm management team performing 2,000 procedures a year and lists expertise in atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, ventricular tachycardia, catheter ablation, pacemakers, implantable defibrillators, genetic arrhythmias, and congenital heart care. OU Health in Oklahoma City describes multidisciplinary evaluation, onsite catheterization and EP laboratories, minimally invasive ablation, and device placement. Its page highlights Warren Jackman’s role in developing catheter-based ablation for several arrhythmias and Dwight W. Reynolds’ work in minimally invasive pacemaker care. 5 7

Cardiac electrophysiology team reviewing an ECG and catheter mapping display in a hospital laboratory
Cardiac electrophysiology team reviewing an ECG and catheter mapping display in a hospital laboratory
  • Allina’s documented annual procedural volume: 2,000 procedures
  • Allina affiliation listed: Abbott Northwestern Hospital
  • OU Health location and appointment telephone number are listed in its source record

How hospitals differ by clinical focus

The available records suggest that “best” depends on the clinical question rather than a single universal ranking. Atrial fibrillation is a major focus at Massachusetts General Hospital, while Cleveland Clinic’s profile emphasizes atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia ablation. UCSF and Johns Hopkins document experience with inherited or ventricular rhythm disorders, and Allina describes a Genetic Arrhythmia Center. Device management is also prominent across the records, including implantation, extraction, follow-up, and resynchronization therapy. 1 2 3 4 5 8

  • For atrial fibrillation: compare ablation methods and stroke-prevention expertise
  • For ventricular arrhythmia: examine research and complex-ablation experience
  • For devices: ask about implantation, extraction, monitoring, and replacement planning

Access, eligibility, and continuity of care

Access conditions vary by program and patient profile. Johns Hopkins lists patients from infants through older adults for Chrispin’s practice, while Cleveland Clinic’s Wazni profile lists adults and Allina’s Katsiyiannis profile lists adults and older adults. Columbia states that accepted insurance can change and should be verified with the physician’s office or insurer. Mass General’s Heist profile states that his practice is accepting new patients, but appointment availability, referral requirements, insurance participation, and travel distance are not uniform across hospitals. 2 4 5 8 10

  • Confirm age-group eligibility and whether the specific clinician treats the condition involved
  • Verify insurance participation for the exact hospital and office location
  • Plan for continuing follow-up when a pacemaker, defibrillator, or resynchronization device is implanted

Evidence limits and clinical risk questions

The supplied profiles document credentials, leadership titles, procedures, research interests, ratings, locations, and selected activity measures, but they do not provide a standardized comparison of complication rates, readmissions, mortality, ablation success, or patient-reported outcomes. EP ablation and device procedures are invasive interventions, so individualized discussion of potential benefits, procedural risks, alternatives, anesthesia, recovery, and long-term monitoring remains necessary. The records also do not provide regulatory ratings or a common oversight framework, making direct hospital-to-hospital conclusions inappropriate. 1 5 9 10

  • Ask which outcomes the hospital tracks for the relevant procedure
  • Request clarification about operator experience with the specific arrhythmia
  • Consider a second opinion for complex, inherited, or recurrent rhythm disorders

Broader comparison context

Additional programs named in the supplied research include Mayo Clinic, Mount Sinai, Penn Medicine, Stanford Health Care, NYU Langone, Northwestern Medicine, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Their cited descriptions identify electrophysiology services involving arrhythmia diagnosis, ablation, device treatment, or complex rhythm procedures, but the provided material does not supply comparable physician-level metrics for each institution. UC Davis reports that its arrhythmia service uses advanced treatments, technology, and research, while citing rising atrial fibrillation prevalence and evidence supporting earlier ablation in appropriate patients. 9

  • National hospital rankings may offer general cardiac context
  • They should not be treated as an EP-specific outcome measure
  • Condition, procedure, clinician expertise, and continuity of care remain relevant comparison factors

Sources

  1. UCSF Health, Edward P. Gerstenfeld, MD, MS: https://www.ucsfhealth.org/providers/edward-gerstenfeld
  2. Cleveland Clinic, Oussama Wazni, MD: https://providers.clevelandclinic.org/provider/oussama-wazni/4268336
  3. Mass General Brigham, Moussa C. Mansour, MD: https://doctors.massgeneralbrigham.org/provider/moussa-c-mansour/2998557
  4. Johns Hopkins Medicine, Jonathan Chrispin, MD: https://profiles.hopkinsmedicine.org/provider/jonathan-chrispin/2704814
  5. Allina Health, William T. Katsiyiannis, MD: https://providers.allinahealth.org/provider/william-t-katsiyiannis/5830117
  6. Mass General Brigham, Bruce Andrew Koplan, MD: https://doctors.massgeneralbrigham.org/provider/bruce-andrew-koplan/3011822
  7. OU Health, Electrophysiology: https://www.ouhealth.com/health-services/heart-care/electrophysiology-ep-/
  8. Mass General Brigham, Edwin K. Heist, MD, PhD: https://doctors.massgeneralbrigham.org/provider/edwin-k-heist/3008589
  9. UC Davis Health, Heart Rhythm Care: https://health.ucdavis.edu/crhd/news/headlines/how-uc-davis-health-meets-the-growing-need-for-heart-rhythm-care/2026/02
  10. ColumbiaDoctors, Angelo Bartolo Biviano, MD: https://doctors.columbia.edu/us/ny/new-york/angelo-bartolo-biviano-md-161-fort-washington-avenue

Authored by 24Trendz team