. Dr. Ramu is highly rated in 45 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Cardiomyopathy, Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia (PSVT), Atrial Tachycardia, Aortic Valve Replacement, and Cardiac Ablation.

"As an experienced interventional cardiologist, Nicholas Laffely, MD, enjoys helping patients by using minimally invasive techniques to treat heart and blood vessel diseases. For Dr. Laffely, treating each patient as if they are family helps him build a lasting and compassionate relationship. ""Helping patients will always be a highlight of my profession,"" he says. When Dr.Laffely is not working, he enjoys spending time outdoors with his family and taking his Jeep off-roading. Services". Dr. Laffely is highly rated in 16 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Necrosis, Aortic Regurgitation, Pediatric Myocarditis, Angina, and Angioplasty.

"When Fawwaz Hamati, MD, grew up in Amman, Jordan, there were only two professions a man could pursue – engineering and medicine. He decided to follow in the footsteps of his oldest brother, who began medical school when Dr. Hamati was in first grade. He moved to the Appalachian Highlands to hone his talents in cardiology. ""I love the friendly people here and that I can be a part of my patients' life,"" he says. Dr. Hamati says his treatment philosophy is rooted in communication. ""By talking, we can make decisions together about the best management plan,"" he says.". Dr. Hamati is highly rated in 15 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Atrial Fibrillation, Angina, Arrhythmias, Pacemaker Implantation, and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR).

. Dr. Williams is highly rated in 13 conditions, according to our data. Her top areas of expertise are Atrial Fibrillation, Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy, Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm, and Atherosclerosis.

"Dr. Ben Culp was encouraged to become a doctor by his father and brother, both of whom worked in medicine. He chose to specialize in cardiology because ""it provides a mixture of everything I enjoy about medicine, from establishing relationships with patients over time to integrating new technology into my practice."" He chose to come to Ballad Health CVA Heart Institute because it gave him the opportunity to practice with progressive techniques. ""My philosophy is to maximize patients' overall quality of life,"" he says, ""and to keep them independent as long as possible.""". Dr. Culp is highly rated in 13 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Atrial Fibrillation, Coronary Heart Disease, Atherosclerosis, and Angina.

I am originally from the Philippines, and grew up in Manila, a big city much like New York or Los Angeles. When I finished medical school there, I began looking for residency programs in the U.S. During an interview at Quillen College of Medicine here in Johnson City, I just fell in love with this place. On my first visit, I was actually shocked at how small it was, but at the same time I liked the green grass, the trees, the quietness, the lack of traffic and how easy it is to get from one place to another in about 15 minutes. The friendliness of the people was one of the things that I noticed often. In big cities people hardly smile at you. But here, even people you don’t know smile at you, ask how you are and strike up conversations. When I was younger, I remember playing “doctor,” and thinking I would like to be one. I would mix powders and water in vials to make “medicine” and inject it into anything. Then in high school I realized how much I did love medicine. It was more of a desire to see people, talk to them, diagnose their problems and, hopefully, help them. It is a privilege to care for my patients; helping them understand what their medical issues are is of utmost importance to me. Cardiology is such a complex specialty, so I try to explain to them what their symptoms are, what could be the reason, and then from there come up with plans to do testing. Including patients as part of the decision-making process is key to growing our relationship as physician and patient it makes it easier when both doctor and the patient understand the plan and the goal. Away from work, I enjoy spending time with my two children and my beautiful wife, Carmina. To de-stress, I run or go to the gym almost every day and work in my yard almost every weekend. Also I spend a lot weekend time driving the kids back and forth to activities. While that may sound mundane, it is one of the most rewarding things I have the privilege of doing. Being a doctor is wonderful, but to me, being a father and a husband is the most special role of all. Dr. Garcia is highly rated in 12 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Coronary Heart Disease, Angina, Atherosclerosis, Sick Sinus Syndrome, and Pacemaker Implantation.

. Dr. Haddadin is highly rated in 11 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Peripheral Artery Disease, Arterial Insufficiency, Coronary Heart Disease, Angina, and Atherectomy.

. Dr. Nagre is highly rated in 9 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA), Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm, Arterial Insufficiency, Carotid Artery Disease, and Carotid Artery Surgery.

. Dr. Blackwell is highly rated in 3 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy, Atherosclerosis, Coronary Heart Disease, and Angina.

. Dr. Patel is highly rated in 16 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Heart Attack, Apoplexy, Sengers Syndrome, and Familial Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

. Dr. Coly is highly rated in 8 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Arrhythmias, Apoplexy, Angina, Mitral Valve Regurgitation, and Pacemaker Implantation.

Manar Jbara, MD, FACC, FASNC, SCCT, is board-certified in cardiology, internal medicine, echocardiography, nuclear cardiology and cardiac computerized tomography. He has published in multiple scientific journals, including Journal of American College of Cardiology, and participated in national clinical trials for the study of heart and vascular disease. He has received multiple accolades and nominations throughout his training and career. An ETSU Health clinician, Dr. Jbara also serves as a faculty member at ETSU’s Quillen College of Medicine. Dr. Jbara has a special interest in preventive cardiology and cardiac rehab, along with the diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of cardiology. He is passionate about teaching and mentoring fellows, residents and medical students. In his free time, he enjoys spending time in nature and following sports. Services • Arrythmias • Cardiomyopathy • Congenital heart defects • Coronary heart disease • Heart failure • Hypertension • Peripheral artery disease • Valvular heart disease. Dr. Jbara is highly rated in 22 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Sengers Syndrome, Cardiomyopathy, Familial Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, Heart Attack, and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI).

I have always called this area “home” since I grew up in the eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina region. Being a doctor has been my calling since childhood; I always knew that I would be a physician one day. I treat my patients with high quality and evidence-guided medical care. Cardiology is a unique specialty, and my interest has really changed over the years. Initially, I was interested because of diagnostics and imaging, being the radiology-based specialty that we are. However, in time I became more interested in the critical care aspect of cardiology and treating acutely ill patients. I actually went back for my MBA, not for the purpose of understanding the financial aspects of medicine, but rather how to deliver value and high quality care as some of the largest cost in medicine deals with cardiovascular disease. I have one child with special needs, so I do a lot of work with Shriners Hospitals for Children. I serve on their hospital board, and it has been a great joy in my life to help with their hospital systems. Shriners give away almost three-fourths of $1 billion dollars each year to support our 22 hospitals. It has been very rewarding to help administer that money, which is funded out of endowments and many individual donations. My particular Shriners Hospital is in Greenville, South Carolina, and many children from our area are treated there. Dr. Ponder is highly rated in 8 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Mitral Stenosis, Aortic Regurgitation, Atherosclerosis, and Coronary Heart Disease.

Dilpat Kumar, MD, brings a patient-centered approach to cardiology and believes every patient deserves to be heard, respected and treated as a partner in their care. “Every heart tells a story,” he says, “and my role is to truly listen.” For Dr. Kumar, being a doctor is about more than just clinical care — it's about connection. “What I enjoy most about being a clinician is listening to my patients’ stories, building long-lasting relationships and having the privilege of watching them improve over time,” he says. “There’s something deeply rewarding about being part of someone’s healing journey – not just treating symptoms, but truly understanding their lives, earning their trust and celebrating their progress together.” Originally from Pakistan, Dr. Kumar came to the region for training and fell in love with the Appalachian Highlands. “The mountains ground me,” he says. Dr. Kumar is highly rated in 2 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are COVID-19, Congenital Coronary Artery Malformation, Lemierre Syndrome, and Heart Tumor.

. Dr. Counts is highly rated in 1 condition, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy, Cardiomyopathy, Atherosclerosis, and Coronary Heart Disease.

. His top areas of expertise are Arterial Embolism, Heart Attack, Ventricular Fibrillation, Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), and Aortic Valve Replacement.

. His top areas of expertise are Necrosis, Pediatric Myocarditis, Aortic Regurgitation, Pulmonary Edema, and Gastric Bypass.

. His top areas of expertise are Heart Block, COVID-19, and Fainting.

"Anjali Sharma, MD, traveled to the United States from her home in Punjab, India, to broaden her medical expertise. After a residency and two fellowships at hospitals along the East Coast, she came to Ballad Health CVA Heart Institute because she wanted to positively impact the cardiovascular health of patients in an underserved community. She believes ""the ability to influence so many lives is a very rewarding and gratifying experience."" Dr. Sharma finds it ""immensely important"" to listen to her patients. ""It not only helps build the doctor-patient relationship, but it also helps me grow as a person.""". Her top areas of expertise are Pediatric Myocarditis, Aortic Regurgitation, Necrosis, and Pulmonary Edema.

. His top areas of expertise are Fainting, Heart Block, Coronary Heart Disease, Cardiac Ablation, and Pacemaker Implantation.

Originally from Niles, Michigan, and raised in rural northern Indiana, Terry Forrest, MD, FACC, brings a deep appreciation for the community and connection to her work. After training in Durham, North Carolina, she was drawn to the Appalachian Highlands for its beauty, biodiversity and the friendliness of its people. Her journey into medicine began in cardiac critical care nursing, where her passion for cardiology took root. Dr. Forrest treats every patient as if they were family, focusing on listening and building trust. She fins meaning in helping patients manage complex, chronic heart conditions. Dr. Forrest enjoys gardening, hiking, whitewater paddling and restoring an old farm. She also volunteers at Steele Creek Nature Park in Bristol, Tennessee. Her top areas of expertise are Fainting, Heart Block, Pediatric Myocarditis, and Cardiomyopathy.

John Berry is a Cardiologist in Johnson City, Tennessee. Dr. Berry is highly rated in 18 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Varicose Veins, Carotid Artery Disease, Idiopathic Edema, and Peripheral Artery Disease.

Randall Towne is a Cardiologist in Kingsport, Tennessee. Dr. Towne is highly rated in 15 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Varicose Veins, Meige Disease, Primary Intestinal Lymphangiectasia, and Lymphangiectasis.

Shobha Hiremagalur is a Cardiologist in Johnson City,, Tennessee. Dr. Hiremagalur is highly rated in 12 conditions, according to our data. Her top areas of expertise are Angina, Atrial Fibrillation, Atherosclerosis, Coronary Heart Disease, and Pacemaker Implantation.

John Bertuso is a Cardiologist in Kingsport, Tennessee. Dr. Bertuso is highly rated in 14 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Atrial Fibrillation, Apoplexy, Carotid Artery Disease, and Atherosclerosis.