Dr. Hirsch has assumed these responsibilities in addition to his leadership role in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab. As Medical Director for Clinical Trials, Dr. Hirsch will spearhead a number of initiatives within the Active International Cardiovascular Institute at Good Samaritan Hospital, including leading the team in clinical trials. Clinical trials, which are the drivers of today's evidence-based medicine, involve testing of a drug product in human volunteers and follow a research protocol set in advance and closely supervised by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

A graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo Medical School, Dr. Hirsch is one of the most respected interventional cardiologists in the United States, having been named "America's Top Physician - Interventional Cardiology" by the Consumer's Research Council of America.

Dr. Hirsch came to Good Samaritan Hospital from The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, N.J., where he directed the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. Prior to that, Dr. Hirsch was an attending physician at a number of metropolitan area hospitals, including Valley, St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City, Good Samaritan Hospital, St. Anthony's Community Hospital and Nyack Hospital. He completed his internship and residency at Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center in New York City.

Dr. Hirsch is board certified in both interventional cardiology and internal medicine, and a sought-after speaker who has received numerous honors and awards. He is not new to the exacting field of clinical trials, having participated in or served as a principle and sub-investigator for 28 such research programs. Dr. Hirsch is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology and is affiliated with the New York Heart Association, the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions, the American Heart Association.

Dr. Hirsch has published articles in a number of prestigious medical journals, including the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

"A facility is only as good as the people who run it, which is why we've assembled an extraordinary team of experts in every area of cardiac care to run the Active International Cardiovascular Institute at Good Samaritan Hospital," commented Schnieders. "We are pleased to have a physician of the stature of Dr. Cary Hirsch leading our team in clinical trials. From the nurses at bedside to our technicians, open heart surgeons, cardiologists, interventionalists and more, everyone here is highly trained and specialized in what they do."

The Active International Cardiovascular Institute at Good Samaritan Hospital opened on January 19, 2007. It is a state-of-the-art cardiac surgical center, with two fully equipped and staffed operating rooms, two modern cardiac catheterization labs, and dedicated and private patient pre-surgical and recovery rooms. The Institute offers the most advanced cardiovascular procedures, including open-heart surgery, emergency angioplasty for acute heart attack, elective angioplasty to relieve potential blockages, and a wide range of additional cardiovascular procedures.

About Good Samaritan Hospital
Good Samaritan Hospital is a member of Bon Secours Health System, Inc., one of the nation's leading Catholic healthcare systems. It is also part of the regional Bon Secours Charity Health System, which includes St. Anthony Community Hospital in Warwick, N.Y., and Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis, N.Y. Additionally, Bon Secours Charity Health System provides the services of a Certified Home Health Agency, two long-term care facilities, an assisted living and adult home facility and several other medical programs.