Dr. Heather Ross

Dr. Heather Ross is one of Canada's most prominent cardiologists, internationally recognised for her work in advanced heart failure, cardiac transplantation, and mechanical circulatory support. She is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and has served as Head of the Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Programme at Toronto General Hospital, part of the University Health Network — Canada's largest research hospital and a world leader in multi-organ transplantation.

Toronto General Hospital performs one of the highest volumes of cardiac transplants in North America and is home to cutting-edge mechanical circulatory support programmes including left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). Dr. Ross has been at the forefront of these programmes for over three decades, leading clinical care for patients with end-stage heart failure.

Beyond her clinical practice, Dr. Ross is a passionate advocate for digital health innovation in cardiology, having led research into remote monitoring of heart failure patients using digital platforms and wearable devices. Her vision is to reduce hospitalisation and improve quality of life through technology-enabled, patient-centred care. She has been a principal investigator on numerous Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Heart and Stroke Foundation-funded studies.

Dr. Ross completed her medical degree at the University of Toronto, one of North America's leading research-intensive medical schools. She undertook internal medicine and cardiology training in Toronto, earning her Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada (FRCPC) in cardiology. She completed subspecialty training in advanced heart failure and cardiac transplantation, and has held a visiting faculty appointment at several international heart failure centres.

She also holds fellowship in the American College of Cardiology (FACC). Her academic career at the University of Toronto has spanned research, teaching, and clinical leadership, with a focus on translating research findings into improved care protocols for heart failure patients.

Dr. Ross's clinical expertise centres on the management of patients with advanced heart failure who have failed conventional medical therapy. She leads a multidisciplinary team that evaluates patients for cardiac transplantation and mechanical circulatory support (MCS) including LVADs as destination therapy or bridge to transplant.

In transplant cardiology, she manages the complete cycle of care: pre-transplant evaluation, listing decisions, post-transplant immunosuppression management, and long-term surveillance for graft rejection and transplant vasculopathy. In LVAD management, she coordinates device implantation decisions, programming optimisation, and outpatient follow-up for patients on device therapy.

Her digital health research has led to the implementation of remote monitoring programmes for outpatient heart failure management, using connected devices and predictive algorithms to identify patients at risk of decompensation before hospitalisation occurs.

Toronto General Hospital's University Health Network accepts international patients for advanced cardiac care including cardiac transplant evaluation and LVAD implantation. International patients seeking evaluation for end-stage heart failure treatment in Canada should contact the hospital's International Patient Services for coordination of medical records review, appointment scheduling, and accommodation support.

Dr. Ross offers video pre-consultation appointments for international patients to allow remote review of cardiac imaging, echocardiograms, and haemodynamic data before travel. She consults in English and French. Canada's universal healthcare system makes it a trusted destination for international patients who require the rigorous transplant evaluation and post-transplant expertise offered at a leading North American transplant centre.

Dr. Ross is a recipient of multiple awards recognising her contributions to cardiology and medical research. She has received the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Career Investigator Award and has been recognised by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society for excellence in clinical leadership and research. She has served on the Board of Directors of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) and chaired multiple guideline committees. She has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles in journals including the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Circulation: Heart Failure, and the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation.