In practice since 1987, J. Thomas Heywood, MD, is fellowship trained in cardiovascular disease and specializes in treating patients with congestive heart failure and those with advanced heart failure.

Dr. Heywood joined Scripps Clinic in 2005 to serve as the director of the Heart Failure Recovery and Research Program in the division of cardiology. In addition to his clinical practice, he conducts research on heart failure, including renal dysfunction in heart failure, implanted heart failure monitors and efforts to improve outcomes for patients. In 2012 he became the medical director of the Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) program which implants small pumps in those with end stage heart failure. He supervises the delivery of heart failure services for all five Scripps Hospitals. In addition, he is a co-director for the Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic.

He is an internationally recognized expert in heart failure and has authored more than 80 publications and lectured throughout the world on state-of-the-art cardiomyopathy treatment. In 2011 he published a book with John Burnett of the Mayo Clinic entitled “The Cardiorenal Syndrome.” From 1992-2005, Dr. Heywood directed the prestigious Cardiomyopathy and Cardiac Transplant Services at the Loma Linda International Heart Institute in Loma Linda, California.