The Heart Group is well known in Florida for our comprehensive and innovative approaches to cardiovascular care, and we offer a wide range of clinical expertise in all phases of adult internal medicine and cardiology. We have established a notable track record for excellent patient recruitment and retention, as well as experienced trial coordination and quality data.
 
Our group’s medical staff includes 8 board-certified/eligible cardiologists, one board-certified internist and advanced registered nurse practitioners. Our physicians are trained in both non-invasive and invasive/interventional cardiology, as well as clinical and interventional electrophysiology.
 
The Heart Group participates in clinical research trials composed of device studies and Phase II, III and IV drug trials. Among a broad range of therapeutic areas of interest, we are experienced in trials concerning:

  Acute coronary syndrome/myocardial infarction

  Angioplasty and stents

  Angina

  Antiplatelet therapy

  Arrhythmia

  Atrial fibrillation

  Biomedical device/equipment testing

  Congestive heart failure

  Coronary artery disease

  Geriatric medicine/internal medicine

  Hyperlipidemia

  Hypertension

  Pacemakers and defibrillators

  Peripheral vascular disease

The Heart Group has a dedicated research physician on staff to enhance our medical oversight of clinical trials and our quality of research patient care. Dr. Joseph P. O’Bryan is a board-certified internist and our Medical Director of Clinical Research. He has served as Principal Investigator in more than 45 clinical trials, is an active member of the Lee Memorial Health System Institutional Review Committee and the Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center Institutional Review Board.
 
For more information about Dr. O’Bryan and our other experienced Clinical Investigators, please visit our Physicians Page.
 
Our full-time staff of experienced Clinical Research Coordinators manages both office-based, outpatient clinical trials and inpatient studies requiring a hospital site. We maintain staff privileges at our area hospitals and utilize both local and central Institutional Review Boards. Our Coordinator is certified by the ACRP (Association of Clinical Research Professionals).
 
The Southwest Florida region in which we are located features a diverse population that offers a high percentage of retired persons who enjoy participating in clinical research; thus, we have an excellent patient pool.
 
In addition to our main office in Fort Myers, we have a regional satellite office in Bonita Springs – fully accredited by the Joint Commission of Accreditation for Health Care Organizations (JCAHO). This network of offices provides access to a large patient population base of more than 800,000 for Phase II, III, and IV research protocols and medical device trials.
 
We primarily recruit from within our own practice in order to offer our primary patients the opportunity to obtain investigational medications and devices. We also collaborate with a network of area physician specialists as necessary for specific clinical trials. By any measure, our patient recruitment, retention, trial coordination, regulatory compliance and quality data are excellent.
 
Please contact us for a complete listing of current and completed clinical trials and for our Investigator CV Packet. We welcome your inquires and invite you to discuss specific research interests and invite you to visit our Clinical Research Center at any time.