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Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD

Specializes in: Cardiac Surgery and Thoracic Surgery
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Professional interests include: thoracic (chest) surgery procedures, cardiomyopathy, aortic disease, and more.
3188 Bellevue Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45219

Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD is a cardiac surgeon in Cincinnati, OH specializing in cardiac surgery and thoracic surgery. He graduated from University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD is affiliated with UC Health, The Christ Hospital Health Network and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

View Doctor's Full Profile (513) 584-1000

Office Locations

UC Health

222 Piedmont Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45219
(513) 584-0118
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The Christ Hospital Health Network

231 Albert Sabin Way
Cincinnati, OH 45267
(513) 584-4424
(513) 584-6036
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UC Health

3188 Bellevue Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45219
(513) 584-1000
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4750 E Galbraith Road Suite 215
Cincinnati, OH 45236
(513) 421-3494
(513) 345-2606
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Some issues Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD can help you with:

Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease. It happens when the blood vessels carrying blood to the heart, called coronary arteries, narrow and harden. This occurs when cholesterol, a type of fat found in the blood, builds up to form plaque, which sticks to the inner walls of the arteries. As plaque accumulates, less blood can flow through the arteries, which may lead to the following:

  • Angina, which is chest pain that occurs when the heart does not receive enough blood flow.
  • Heart attack, which happens if the arteries leading to the heart are completely blocked.
  • Arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, which can develop if the heart does not have enough blood supply.
  • Heart failure, which may occur if a heart attack damages the heart and it becomes too weak to pump enough blood to the rest of the body.

Certain factors may increase risk for the disease, like smoking, lack of exercise, being overweight, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. CAD tends to develop over decades, so it can go undetected until it has become quite severe. A diagnosis may be established using such tests as:

  • Electrocardiogram (ECG), which records the heart's electrical activity over a period of time. ECGs can detect whether there is enough blood flow to the heart or if a heart attack has occurred.
  • Echocardiogram (echo), which creates images of the heart using sound waves. Echos can show whether the heart is able to pump blood normally.
  • Stress tests, where an ECG or echo is combined with exercise, like riding a stationary bike or walking on a treadmill. This test is done to find out if the heart can function properly while performing a strenuous activity.

Treatments for the disease include medications such as vasodilators, like nitroglycerin, which dilates (widens) the coronary arteries. CAD may also be treated by a procedure called angioplasty with stent placement, where a balloon is inflated inside a diseased artery to flatten the plaque deposits against the artery walls, creating more room for blood to flow.

In some severe cases of the disease, multiple arteries may be blocked, and an open heart surgery called coronary artery bypass surgery may be necessary. This operation transplants a vessel from another part of the body to form a graft that goes past the narrowed arteries, thus enabling blood to flow around those arteries.

Heart Problems

The heart is one of the most important organs in the body. This smooth muscle expands and contracts rhythmically an entire lifetime, pumping blood to the lungs and then to every other cell in the body. When heart problems occur, it becomes difficult for the body to get the nutrients and oxygen it needs via the blood. So while there are a variety of illnesses and disorders that affect the heart, most of them cause weakness, exhaustion and shortness of breath. The most common heart conditions include heart disease, angina, arrhythmia, and valve disorders.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. This includes coronary artery disease, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, and congenital heart disease. Some conditions, such as genetics, cannot be controlled. But there are many other things one can do to lower their risk for heart disease. Controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing or stopping smoking, exercising more and losing weight if needed, and eating a diet low in sodium can all protect the heart.

Angina is a squeezing type of chest pain that happens when the muscles around the heart don't get enough oxygen. It can be regular or infrequent. Usually, angina is caused by coronary heart disease. However, not all chest pain is angina. Chest pain can also be caused by a lung infection or panic attack, for example, so it is important to have any sudden pain checked.

Arrhythmia is the word for when the heart beats too fast, too slow, or irregularly with skipped beats. It can feel frightening, and depending on the type it can be dangerous, but in most cases arrhythmia is not serious and can be treated. It is very common, especially in older adults.

Heart valve problems can happen in any one of the the heart's four valves that keep blood flowing where it needs to go. Babies can be born with problems in their heart valves, or valves can be damaged by infections. The valves can stiffen and become less mobile, or they can stop closing properly and 'leak' when the heart beats. Valve problems can usually be repaired surgically.

In The News 

“Eckert is part of a multidisciplinary TAVR team that includes The Heart Institute cardiologist Dr. Jonathan Rapp and Mercy Health cardiovascular and thoracic surgeons doctors William Cook and...”—"Butler County hospital reaches milestone in life-enhancing heart procedure", Journal-News, December 2019

Noteworthy Medicare Patient Procedures Performed by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD in 2023

Click on any procedure below to see further details on volume and pricing among Medicare patients.

Top 25%

By Affordability:

aortic valve replacement
fully percutaneous transfemoral TAVR
heart valve replacement
minimally invasive aortic valve replacement
minimally invasive heart valve treatment
minimally invasive valve replacement
non-surgical aortic valve replacement
non-surgical heart valve treatment
non-surgical valve replacement
percutaneous valve treatment
transcatheter aortic valve replacement
transcatheter valve treatment
transfemoral TAVR

In 2012, Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD had a list price for aortic valve replacement, fully percutaneous (incisionless) transfemoral TAVR, heart valve replacement, minimally invasive aortic valve replacement, minimally invasive heart valve treatment, minimally invasive valve replacement, non-surgical aortic valve replacement, non-surgical heart valve treatment, non-surgical valve replacement, percutaneous valve treatment, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), transcatheter valve treatment, and transfemoral TAVR (through the groin) that was lower than the list prices billed to Medicare by 75% of providers in related specialties within Ohio. Actual amounts paid by patients can vary widely depending on a number of factors, including insurance coverage. A lower list price, however, might mean lower fees when paying without insurance.

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD treated as a cardiac surgeon in Cincinnati, OH during 2012 were cardiac procedures, thoracic (chest) surgery procedures, open surgery and bypass surgery.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD for Medicare patients.

bypass surgery 25
cardiac procedures 82
doctor visit 53
open surgery 50
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures 50

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD treated as a cardiac surgeon in Cincinnati, OH during 2013 were thoracic (chest) surgery procedures, open surgery, cardiac procedures and bypass surgery.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD for Medicare patients.

bypass surgery 20
cardiac procedures 40
doctor visit 42
hospital care 15
inpatient care 15
open surgery 40
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures 40

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD.

Gender
Male 59
Female 50
Age
From 65 to 74 42
From 75 to 84 35
85 and over 17
Less than 65 15

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD in 2013

Hypertension 75
High Cholesterol 74
Stroke 12
Ischemic Heart Disease 75
Depression 30
Chronic Kidney Disease 44
Asthma 14
Osteoperosis 10
Atrial Fibrilation 22
Heart Failure 49
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 28
Diabetes 37
Dementia 13
Cancer 23

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD treated as a cardiac surgeon in Cincinnati, OH during 2014 were cardiac procedures, thoracic (chest) surgery procedures, open surgery and bypass surgery.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD for Medicare patients.

bypass surgery 29
cardiac procedures 82
doctor visit 43
hospital care 13
inpatient care 13
open surgery 58
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures 58

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD.

Gender
Male 67
Female 43
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 90
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 48
From 75 to 84 29
85 and over 14
Less than 65 19

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD in 2014

Hypertension 75
High Cholesterol 75
Stroke 12
Ischemic Heart Disease 75
Depression 36
Chronic Kidney Disease 50
Asthma 13
Osteoperosis 12
Atrial Fibrilation 21
Heart Failure 50
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 42
Diabetes 53
Dementia 18
Cancer 23

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD treated as a cardiac surgeon in Cincinnati, OH during 2015 were thoracic (chest) surgery procedures, open surgery, cardiac procedures and bypass surgery.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD for Medicare patients.

bypass surgery 27
cardiac procedures 54
doctor visit 56
open surgery 54
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures 54

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD.

Gender
Male 114
Female 112
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 196
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 88
From 75 to 84 78
85 and over 0
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD in 2015

Hypertension 75
High Cholesterol 75
Stroke 12
Ischemic Heart Disease 73
Depression 25
Chronic Kidney Disease 48
Asthma 23
Osteoperosis 11
Atrial Fibrilation 25
Heart Failure 57
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 31
Diabetes 41
Dementia 0
Cancer 20

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD treated as a cardiac surgeon in Cincinnati, OH during 2016 were cardiac procedures, thoracic (chest) surgery procedures, open surgery and bypass surgery.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD for Medicare patients.

bypass surgery 26
cardiac procedures 82
doctor visit 51
hospital care 18
inpatient care 18
minimally invasive procedures 15
open surgery 52
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures 52
vascular procedures 15

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD.

Gender
Male 82
Female 55
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 110
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 62
From 75 to 84 39
85 and over 23
Less than 65 13

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD in 2016

Hypertension 75
High Cholesterol 75
Stroke 12
Ischemic Heart Disease 75
Depression 24
Chronic Kidney Disease 55
Asthma 36
Osteoperosis 9
Atrial Fibrilation 26
Heart Failure 53
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 29
Diabetes 39
Dementia 13
Cancer 21

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD treated as a cardiac surgeon in Cincinnati, OH during 2017 were cardiac procedures, thoracic (chest) surgery procedures, open surgery and bypass surgery.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD for Medicare patients.

bypass surgery 27
cardiac procedures 88
doctor visit 59
minimally invasive procedures 17
open surgery 54
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures 54
vascular procedures 17

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD.

Gender
Male 70
Female 53
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 104
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 50
From 75 to 84 33
85 and over 25
Less than 65 15

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD in 2017

Hypertension 75
High Cholesterol 71
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 74
Depression 21
Chronic Kidney Disease 52
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 28
Heart Failure 58
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 24
Diabetes 41
Dementia 13
Cancer 28

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD treated as a cardiac surgeon in Cincinnati, OH during 2018 were cardiac procedures, thoracic (chest) surgery procedures, open surgery and bypass surgery.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD for Medicare patients.

bypass surgery 21
cardiac procedures 74
doctor visit 25
minimally invasive procedures 16
open surgery 42
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures 42
vascular procedures 16

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD.

Gender
Male 49
Female 49
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 79
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 44
From 75 to 84 23
85 and over 0
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD in 2018

Hypertension 75
High Cholesterol 75
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 75
Depression 32
Chronic Kidney Disease 60
Asthma 11
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 19
Heart Failure 61
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 36
Diabetes 47
Dementia 0
Cancer 27

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD treated as a cardiac surgeon in Cincinnati, OH during 2019 were cardiac procedures, thoracic (chest) surgery procedures, open surgery and minimally invasive procedures.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD for Medicare patients.

bypass surgery 22
cardiac procedures 90
doctor visit 53
minimally invasive procedures 23
open surgery 44
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures 44
vascular procedures 23

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD.

Gender
Male 68
Female 47
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 99
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 43
From 75 to 84 39
85 and over 18
Less than 65 15

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD in 2019

Hypertension 75
High Cholesterol 75
Stroke 10
Ischemic Heart Disease 75
Depression 24
Chronic Kidney Disease 55
Asthma 10
Osteoperosis 12
Atrial Fibrilation 24
Heart Failure 57
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 31
Diabetes 39
Dementia 10
Cancer 23

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD treated as a cardiac surgeon in Cincinnati, OH during 2020 were cardiac procedures, thoracic (chest) surgery procedures, open surgery and bypass surgery.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD for Medicare patients.

bypass surgery 20
cardiac procedures 62
doctor visit 21
minimally invasive procedures 11
open surgery 40
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures 40
vascular procedures 11

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD.

Gender
Male 45
Female 35
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 65
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 38
From 75 to 84 27
85 and over 0
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD in 2020

Hypertension 75
High Cholesterol 75
Stroke 19
Ischemic Heart Disease 75
Depression 29
Chronic Kidney Disease 54
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 14
Atrial Fibrilation 29
Heart Failure 69
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 36
Diabetes 48
Dementia 16
Cancer 25

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD treated as a cardiac surgeon in Cincinnati, OH during 2021 were cardiac procedures, thoracic (chest) surgery procedures, open surgery and bypass surgery.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD for Medicare patients.

bypass surgery 21
cardiac procedures 82
doctor visit 34
hospital care 14
inpatient care 14
minimally invasive procedures 20
open surgery 42
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures 42
vascular procedures 20

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD.

Gender
Male 68
Female 40
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White 86
Black 0
Hispanic 0
Asian 0
Other 0
Native American 0
Age
From 65 to 74 53
From 75 to 84 31
85 and over 0
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD in 2021

Hypertension 75
High Cholesterol 75
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 75
Depression 26
Chronic Kidney Disease 53
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 24
Heart Failure 59
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 26
Diabetes 42
Dementia 0
Cancer 27

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD treated as a cardiac surgeon in Cincinnati, OH during 2022 were cardiac procedures, thoracic (chest) surgery procedures, open surgery and bypass surgery.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD for Medicare patients.

bypass surgery 15
cardiac procedures 58
doctor visit 29
minimally invasive procedures 14
open surgery 30
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures 30
vascular procedures 14

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD.

Gender
Male 44
Female 29
Age
From 65 to 74 0
From 75 to 84 32
85 and over 0
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD in 2022

Hypertension 75
High Cholesterol 75
Stroke 18
Ischemic Heart Disease 71
Depression 25
Chronic Kidney Disease 33
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 45
Heart Failure 55
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 25
Diabetes 37
Dementia 0
Cancer 21

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD treated as a cardiac surgeon in Cincinnati, OH were cardiac procedures, thoracic (chest) surgery procedures, open surgery and bypass surgery.

bypass surgery 23
cardiac procedures 72
doctor visit 42
hospital care 15
inpatient care 15
minimally invasive procedures 16
open surgery 46
thoracic (chest) surgery procedures 46
vascular procedures 16

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD.

Gender
Male 60
Female 46
Ethnicity
Black / African American 0
Asian / Pacific Islander 0
Non-Hispanic White 75
Native American / Alaskan Native 0
Hispanic 0
Other 0
Age
75 to 84 33
85 and over 8
Less than 65 7
65 to 74 42

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD From 2012 - 2022

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD treated were high cholesterol, hypertension, ischemic heart disease and heart failure.

Hypertension 68
High Cholesterol 67
Stroke 8
Ischemic Heart Disease 67
Depression 24
Chronic Kidney Disease 45
Asthma 9
Osteoporosis 6
Heart Failure 51
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 28
Diabetes 38
Atrial Fibrillation 23
Dementia 7
Cancer 21

Education & Training

Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD graduated from University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He is certified by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery (Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery) and has a state license in Kentucky.

Medical School: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Board Certification: American Board of Thoracic Surgery (Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery)

Licensed In: Kentucky

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

UC Health
The Christ Hospital Health Network
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 4.9 out of 5 stars based on 6 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Cincinnati, OH. 

4.9
Overall Rating
Leave a Review

General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Samuel Russell Vester, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

Payments by Company
Medtronic Vascular, Inc. $4,156 Mosaic
$689 		Avalus
$576 		CoreValve Evolut
$174 		Simulus
$164 		Hancock
$92 		Other
$2,460
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation $4,098 Transcatheter Heart Valves
$1,504 		Edwards SAPIEN 3 Ultra Transcatheter Heart Valve
$1,191 		Edwards SAPIEN 3 Transcatheter Heart Valve
$766 		Pericardial Heart Valves
$181 		EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE (THV)
$158 		Other
$298
AtriCure, Inc. $868 Cardiovascular
$212 		AtriCure AtriClip LAA Exclusion
$204 		ATRICURE CRYOSURGICAL SYSTEM
$187 		ATRICURE SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM
$174 		SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM
$28 		Other
$64
Medtronic, Inc. $647 Mosaic
$554 		Avalus
$72 		Simulus
$21
CorMatrix Cardiovascular Inc. $316 ECM Patch
$316
Other $2,446 Procedural Solutions
$301 		LifeVest
$194 		OFIRMEV
$188 		Impella
$176 		CARDIOHELP
$110 		Other
$1,477
Types of Payments
Food and Beverage $9,439
Travel and Lodging $3,082
Education $11

Biography

Dr. S. Vester sees patients in Cincinnati, OH. His medical specialties are cardiac surgery and thoracic surgery. The average patient rating for Dr. Vester is 5.0 stars (out of 5). Dr. Vester's areas of expertise include heart failure, aortic aneurysm, and cardiomyopathy. He studied medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Dr. Vester is affiliated with UC Health, The Christ Hospital Health Network, and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

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