At a Glance

The Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) is a well-kept secret; perhaps too much so, in fact. People have heard the name, but do they know where the institution is located? Are they aware of what it actually does?

The Montreal Heart Institute is one of Quebec's finest assets. It is a wellspring of knowledge, recognized internationally as an leader in cardiovascular medicine. Globally it ranks on par with such other specialized cardiology centres as the Cleveland Clinic, the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and the Thorax Center in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Why is the MHI a leader in cardiology?

• Many significant milestones have occurred at the MHI over the years.
• Highly sophisticated surgical techniques such as coronary angioplasty and surgery of the aortic and mitral valves are conducted at the Institute.
• Each year, eminent researchers and clinicians from all over the world apply for positions at the MHI in their respective areas of expertise.
• Former fellows of the Institute now head research and cardiac care units in major hospitals worldwide.
• The majority of cardiologists and heart surgeons currently practising in Quebec were trained at the MHI.
• The MHI is the first hospital in Canada to be recognized by the World Health Organization for its prevention program.

But, first and foremost, the MHI is 50,000 patients a year from all over Quebec, many of whom present some of the most complex cases in cardiology.

There is currently much discussion in Quebec about "healthcare science parks", a concept deemed to be the wave of the future. But MHI Founders were ahead of their time when, in 1954, they created a cardiology centre based on this very concept, where patient care, research, teaching and prevention were all to be found under one roof. The ripple effect of 50 years of experience has created a considerable impact, both at the local and international levels.