Provider Spotlight
A Matter of the Heart: Meet Dr. Sumon Roy
Specialty: Cardiology
Subspecialties: Interventional Cardiology and Structural Cardiology
Sumon Roy, MD, FACC, FSCAI, a Boston-area native, found his passion for cardiology as a medical student at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. His interest ultimately led him to complete fellowships in interventional and structural cardiology at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha national medical honor society. He has since returned to his hometown area in Boston and now cares for patients across all three hospitals in the BMC Health System: Boston Medical Center (BMC), BMC South, and BMC Brighton.
Dr. Roy is committed to providing exceptional care to the local community, and offers a unique skillset that facilitates innovation in cardiac care. He performed the health system’s first transcarotid transcatheter aortic valve replacement (transcarotid TAVR), a minimally invasive procedure to replace an aortic heart valve through an artery in the neck.
Read more below to learn about Dr. Roy, the inspiration behind his practice, and his life outside of the three hospitals.
Why did you choose to specialize in interventional cardiology?
Interventional cardiology is a specialized field within cardiology where we perform life-saving procedures to treat coronary artery disease, often referred to as “blockages in the heart.” When a patient is having a myocardial infarction, otherwise known as a heart attack, this is a very high-risk clinical situation, where critical, quick decision-making literally saves lives. The unique combination of saving a human being’s life and the nature of this work is both a challenge and a privilege that I embrace.
Could you describe your subspecialty, structural cardiology?
Structural cardiology is a relatively new field. It is a specialization within interventional cardiology that focuses on the cardiac valves, walls, and chambers. As structural cardiologists, we have the expertise to treat cardiac issues in these areas without having to do open heart surgery. For example, we can implant bioprosthetic devices to repair or replace heart valves, close holes in heart walls, and seal off high-risk chambers in the heart—all without open-heart surgery. This approach means less stress on the body and faster recovery times, which significantly improves patient outcomes.
What is the most satisfying part of your work?
Saving someone’s life. When someone is having a heart attack, the outcome is uncertain and every minute counts. When my pager goes off, I know I need to get to the hospital as quickly and safely as possible because time is muscle and the heart is a muscle. I work diligently with my team to perform cardiac catheterization and deploy a coronary stent to stop the ongoing heart attack. I am very fortunate to work with a team that is simply outstanding. What we do really makes an impact on our patient’s life and their family’s lives too.
What is your approach to patient care?
Overall, my goal is to treat each patient like my own family member while building strong and trusting relationships that can grow over years. From the procedural standpoint, I hope to get people feeling significantly improved after I perform a given procedure, the goal of which is often to resolve chest pain and/or shortness of breath. We can’t make people 10 years younger, but we might be able to get them feeling 10 years younger—and often we do exactly that.
What are your passions outside of work?
All kinds of things! Focusing on self-health and fitness is important. I am also a big-time sports fan and enthusiast. As a native of the region, I grew up as a fan of the Pats, Celts, Sox, and Bruins, and it is really fantastic to be back in an area where I can get excited about my teams! I have lived in various cities over the past decade, and it’s just not the same. I also like music and am trained in classical piano. Activities in the outdoors are also always a great time!
Skilled Cardiology Experts Delivering Compassionate Care
Using advanced technology in our state-of-the-art Cardiac Catheterization Lab and Electrophysiology (EP) Clinic, the Department of Cardiology at BMC South performs over 1,000 procedures each year for patients with heart failure, heart conditions, circulatory issues, and cardiovascular disease. Our angiography suite offers cutting-edge treatments for peripheral vascular disease, dialysis-related conditions, and other vascular illnesses.
We also provide 24/7 emergency primary angioplasty to deliver immediate, lifesaving care for heart attack patients.