Bassel Alkhalil, MD

Executive Director, Norton Heart & Vascular Institute Advanced Heart Failure & Recovery Program Executive Director, Institute for Health Equity, a Part of Norton Healthcare Kelly C. McCants, M.D., completed his internal medicine residency and cardiology fellowship at the University of Louisville School of Medicine and his heart failure and transplant fellowship at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City. Dr. McCants is board certified in cardiovascular disease, advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology. Before joining Norton Healthcare, Dr. McCants served as medical director of the Samsky Advanced Heart Failure Center at Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta. In his role with Norton Heart & Vascular Institute, he and his team care for patients with mild to severe heart failure. He also leads the ventricular assist device program, and heart transplant access and ongoing aftercare. As executive director of the Institute for Health Equity, he and his team work to address health and racial inequalities in our community by improving access to care in underserved areas, bringing awareness to historical disparities and anchoring vulnerable neighborhoods with expanded health resources. In his spare time Dr. McCants loves spending time with his family.

Sarah E. Schaefer, APRN, is a nurse practitioner with Norton Heart & Vascular Institute. She specializes in cardiology, providing care for patients who are experiencing advanced heart failure. She earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing at the University of Louisville School of Nursing, Kentucky, where she also earned her doctorate in nursing practice. Sarah focuses on providing safe and compassionate care for each patient to improve their health outcomes not only physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.

Chioma O. Obiokoye, M.D., MPH, is an advanced heart failure specialist with Norton Heart & Vascular Institute. She earned her medical degree from the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital College of Medicine, Enugu, Nigeria. She completed her internal medicine residency training at Jacobi Medical Center of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York. She completed her general cardiology fellowship at East Carolina University/Vidant Medical Center (now ECU Health Medical Center), Greenville, North Carolina, and her fellowship in advanced heart failure and transplant at the Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Ohio. Dr. Obiokoye is board certified in internal medicine, general cardiology, nuclear cardiology, echocardiography and advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology. Dr. Obiokoye collaborates with her team to care for people with various stages of heart failure. She has special interests in management of cardiogenic shock with emphasis on temporary and durable mechanical circulatory support, heart recovery and transplant, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, infiltrative heart diseases, cardio-oncology and women’s health. She is passionate about improving disparities in health care, and partners with her team to promote the interests and health of her patients. Outside of work, Dr. Obiokoye spends her time with her family and friends. She loves traveling, interior decorating, and listening to music and audiobooks.