Every year, Hour Detroit publishes a list of the Top Doctors in metro Detroit. This year’s list contains more than 1,000 physicians in 97 specialties — all nominated by their peers. With so many doctors at our fingertips we’d be remiss not to share some of their insights with you. Below is one of the eight interviews with a 2026 Top Doctor.
More Hour Detroit Top Doc ProfilesBegum Akay, M.D. on Innovations in Pediatric SurgerySüreyya Savaşan, M.D. on Performing a Lyfgenia TransfusionPano Papalekas, M.D. on Inpatient RehabilitationSuki Singh, M.D. on the Evolution of the Obesity Medicine SpecialtyNatasha Robinette, M.D. on Radiology Misconceptions
What is something you wish more people understood about being a physician and your specialty?
As patients get older, medical care becomes increasingly more complex across a range of medical conditions. It is important to realize that the practice of medicine is both an art and a science, which requires a tailored and personalized approach to treating each patient. There is usually more than one way to approach a specific problem, and in cardiology, we often use a heart team approach to individualize care. We focus on applying the latest medical advances while also taking into account each patient’s unique medical situation and values to achieve the most successful outcome.
What recent innovations in your field most excite you and why?
The advancement of minimally invasive procedures in cardiology and structural heart disease has been a game changer in the treatment of many complex cardiac problems, especially valve diseases such as aortic stenosis and mitral regurgitation. We now have access to techniques for valve replacement (i.e., transcatheter aortic valve replacement, mitral and tricuspid valve replacement), valve repair (mitral and tricuspid valve edge-to-edge clipping), and stroke-risk reduction for patients with atrial fibrillation (left atrial appendage occlusion, Watchman/Amulet), all done through small incisions or IV lines in the groin rather than open-heart surgery. These minimally invasive techniques decrease recovery times and hospital length of stay, allowing patients to get back to their normal lives sooner.
This story originally appeared in the October 2026 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Click here to get our digital edition.
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