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The Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Center at the Jefferson Heart Institute has added two new physicians—Sharon Rubin, M.D. and David Whellan, M.D. 

Dr. Rubin joins Thomas Jefferson University Hospital from Temple University Hospital and School of Medicine where she was on the staff of the Heart Failure and Transplant Center. Dr. Whellan joins Jefferson from Duke University Hospital in Durham, N.C., where he was on the staff of the Heart Failure Program.

Heart failure remains a growing problem in the United States even as the overall incidence of heart disease is slowly dropping. Recent statistics show that some 80 percent of those over age 65 who are discharged from U.S. hospitals have heart failure as one of their diagnoses. With an aging population--including the Baby Boomers, who are beginning to reach retirement age--it is estimated that roughly 550,000 people in this country will develop heart failure this year.

“Both Dr. Rubin and Dr. Whellan have extensive experience and expertise,” explains Paul Mather, M.D., Center director. “As our program grows, our goal is to bring in the best physicians to meet the demands and challenges of end-stage heart failure.”

The staff in Jefferson’s Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Center uses the latest medical and surgical therapeutic options to provide standard, tailored, aggressive heart failure therapy. Services include a wide range of specialized treatment and testing including cardiopulmonary exercise testing to evaluate a patient’s oxygen consumption, hemodynamic monitoring, aggressive treatment of the contraction of heart muscles,  intermittent IV infusions of drugs and advanced device therapy, in addition to psychosocial support, dietary information and disease education for both the patient and family.

Dr. Rubin, who will join the Jefferson Medical College faculty, received a bachelor of arts degree in 1985 from the University of Pennsylvania, and a doctor of medicine degree in 1990 from Temple University School of Medicine. 

She completed an internship and residency in internal medicine at Temple University Hospital in 1993 and remained there to complete a fellowship in cardiology in 1996. She joined the faculty and was named assistant professor of Medicine at Temple University School of Medicine in 1997.

Dr. Rubin has a special interest in adult congenital heart disease and cardiac care in the obstetric patient. Her research interests encompass end-stage heart failure management and the efficacy of drug therapy to prevent rejection in cardiac transplant patients.

Dr. Whellan, who will also join the Jefferson Medical College faculty, received a bachelor of science degree in 1989 from the University of Pennsylvania, and a doctor of medicine degree in 1994 from Washington University School of Medicine and a master in health science (MHS) degree in Clinical Research from Duke University in 2002. 

He completed an internship and residency in medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 1997.  He underwent advanced heart failure training in 2001 at Duke University. At the same time, he was completing dual fellowships--in clinical cardiology in the Department of Medicine and in clinical research at the Duke Clinical Research Institute of Duke University in 2002. 

In 2002, Dr. Whellan was named assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology at Duke University. 

Dr. Whellan’s clinical interests include heart failure. His research interests include disease management of heart failure patients and evaluation of outcomes for chronic and congestive heart failure. 

To make an appointment with Dr. Rubin or Dr. Whellan or another Jefferson Heart Institute cardiologist, call 1-800-JEFF-NOW.