Dr. Nishtha Sareen: Pioneering Comprehensive Cardiovascular Care for Women

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In a world where every woman deserves to feel heard, understood, and cared for, a single idea had the power to open the door to transformative change. It all started with a simple yet profound belief: if women could have healthcare tailored to their needs, with empathy and evidence at its core, it could change the world.

This belief was the key to a new kind of care, one that would spread its wings across Michigan and Tennessee through clinics that offered more than just treatment; they offered reassurance.

This is how Dr. Nishtha Sareen, inspired by her own vision for healthier women after witnessing years of dedicated social work by her father Dr Devendra Sareen and supported by her husband, Dr. Abhishek Ojha, turned that key, opening seven clinics in Michigan and three in Tennessee, providing women with a new standard of cardiovascular care. Her journey was driven by a powerful desire to create a healthier world, not just for her daughter, Neysa, but for all the daughters who deserve a brighter, healthier future.

Let us learn more about her journey:

Pioneering Comprehensive Cardiovascular Care for Women

Dr. Nishtha Sareen, currently based in Nashville with Ascension St. Thomas Heart, serves as the Medical Director for the Women’s Cardiovascular Services Program at Ascension Tennessee. With a wealth of professional and clinical experience as an Interventional Cardiologist, she specializes in delivering high-quality, evidence-based care to patients suffering from complex and chronic heart blockages, utilizing advanced devices to restore blood flow. Her passion for heart health in women has driven her to dedicate her expertise to closing the health gaps that affect women’s cardiovascular care.

Dr. Nishtha is the visionary behind a groundbreaking women’s clinic system, built on the concept of “of the women, for the women, and by us all,” offering comprehensive and inclusive cardiovascular care tailored to women’s unique needs. This innovative concept has led to the establishment of seven Women Heart clinics in Michigan and three in Tennessee, providing evidence-based, homogeneous care across these regions.

As Dr. Nishtha points out, “The greatest issue with why we have not been able to close gaps in CV care in women is that our care for women is fragmented.” Her program aims to provide continuous, evidence-based care for women throughout every stage of life, from early years through pregnancy, menopause, and post-menopause.

In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Sareen is the Chair of the Women’s Heart Council for the American College of Cardiology’s Michigan Chapter. Dr Sareen has organized three state-of-the-art annual symposiums dedicated to women’s heart care, with a specific focus on underserved populations. She also launched a physician-authored, evidence-based book series focused on empowering women and their health.

Furthering her commitment to education, Dr. Nishtha created the “Bia for you, for them” platform, offering free monthly podcasts that address common health issues in women, with input from credible physician colleagues. “Our physicians and our patients need to be up-to-date with advances in CV care in women. It is our responsibility to learn and teach,” she emphasizes.

Dr. Sareen is board certified in General Cardiology, Interventional Cardiology, Endovascular Cardiology, Echocardiography, Coronary CT, and Nuclear Cardiology, and she also holds board certification in Internal Medicine. Her expertise spans program development, protocol implementation, high-risk coronary interventions, peripheral interventions, microvascular dysfunction, pulmonary embolism thrombectomy, performance improvement, and quality control.

Her leadership style is characterized by innovation, inclusion, teamwork, collaboration, and effective delivery. Dr. Nishtha holds a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Nevada and a certification in Health Care Economics from Harvard University.

Transforming Women’s Heart Health

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S., claiming more lives than all cancers combined. Dr. Nishtha’s advocacy is making a significant impact in changing this narrative. She believes in the simplicity of the solution: “Understand the problem, take the time to find solutions through collaboration, and implement them.”

Her work is revolutionizing women’s cardiovascular care by recognizing women as a distinct risk profile, which opens doors to more effective diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Nishtha emphasizes that care for women must be easy to deliver, scripted, reproducible, and both cost-effective for the health system and affordable for the consumer.

The simplicity and reproducibility of her approach have already shown remarkable results, including a 600% growth in just 18 months. This success is proof that her model has the potential for even more widespread application.

In balancing her demanding professional life, Dr. Nishtha credits her mother, Mrs. Madhu Sareen, for teaching her the importance of maintaining a positive presence at home. “No matter how stressed I was, it could never reflect on my face at home,” Dr. Nishtha recalls. She makes it a point to always be 100% present, whether at work or at home.

Dr. Nishtha also expresses deep gratitude to her husband, Dr. Abhishek Ojha, for his support and for sharing her vision. She recognizes that maintaining balance in their personal life is only possible through mutual understanding, especially when she is giving so much of herself to the community.

A Vision for Global Change

Dr. Nishtha’s passion for healthcare and community service was deeply influenced by her father, Dr. Devendra Sareen, a renowned pediatrician in India known for his dedication to serving the destitute, disadvantaged, and orphans. From an early age, she was inspired by her father’s selfless commitment to social service, which instilled in her a sense of purpose. Medicine became a natural choice, but her true focus was always on making a meaningful difference in the communities she served. She credits her parents for nurturing this passion, particularly their strong commitment to community service.

Her greatest drive is to create a healthier world for her daughter, Neysa, and for all daughters around the world. Dr. Nishtha firmly believes that comprehensive, affordable, high-quality cardiovascular care should be a necessity for underserved women, not a luxury.

As the leader of the Women Heart Program, which currently operates in Tennessee and Michigan, she is one step closer to realizing this vision. With a global reach on the horizon, Dr. Nishtha knows that achieving this goal requires collective effort. “We need every single one of us in this together,” she emphasizes, urging everyone to unite in the fight against cardiovascular disease, the number one killer of women worldwide.

The Strength Behind

Dr. Nishtha Sareen reflects on the importance of adaptability, especially during the pandemic. “We had to make a lot of adaptations to ensure we could fully utilize telehealth,” she shares. Through telehealth platforms, Dr. Nishtha and her team continued to provide evidence-based care to patients, emphasizing that COVID-19 taught a valuable lesson: “We should not take our social life for granted.”

When asked about her greatest strength, Dr. Nishtha credits her family. “My husband, mother, and father have always supported me, no matter what,” she says. She also acknowledges her sister and brother, who have stood by her through every challenge. Her mentors continue to offer guidance and support, providing invaluable reassurance. “There is no bigger comfort than knowing someone has your back,” Dr. Nishtha explains. Whenever she finds herself stuck, she reflects on what her mother would have done—an approach that never fails to provide clarity and direction.

Words of Wisdom

“No matter how well you do. How careful you are, there will be times when you will fall. It is just a part of the plan. It is meant to teach you and help you grow. Those falls are what you will be grateful for because they will help you understand what you are capable of doing.”

Mantra to succeed

Remember, the real champion is not one who keeps rising high; it is the one who stands up every time he or she falls.

Make sure as you chase your dreams, you take care of yourself and your loved ones. The fun is not in the final destination, the real fun lies in the journey. Enjoy every minute of that sweat.

A Trailblazer in Women’s Heart Health and Community Leadership

Dr. Nishtha has made significant strides in advancing women’s cardiovascular health, including the launch of an evidence-based, physician-compiled book focused on empowering women and improving their heart care. This book is one of the first of its kind, dedicated to addressing the unique cardiovascular needs of women.

Her exceptional contributions have garnered widespread recognition. Detroit Crain’s Business Magazine included Dr. Nishtha in their prestigious 40 Under 40 list, acknowledging her as one of the most successful women in the region. Additionally, Detroit Business recognized her as one of the 30 most influential leaders in Michigan.

Dr. Nishtha’s passion for both community service and medical education has earned her several accolades. She was awarded the “Women Who Lead” honor by WJR Radio and the Coeur d’OR (Heart of Gold) award from Ascension Providence Hospital for her outstanding contributions to the community and her role in mentoring future physicians. More recently, she was honored with the Gold Stevie International Women of the Year Award in Healthcare for 2024 and the Global Recognition Award in 2024, further cementing her role as a trailblazer in her field.

Stevie International Gold Women in Healthcare 2024

https://youtu.be/LGaJaMgtNt0?si=zRsq94vVHoWRhxFV

Crains 40 under 40

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/awards/2022-40-under-40-nishtha-sareen-39#:~:text=To%20co mbat%20gaps%20in%20care,staff%20%E2%80%94%20are%20women%20as%20well.

https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/CNeNCOYz3JHNx7EL0Tvu_Bb?domain=youtu.be

Dbusiness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f9COgaAmBk

WJR women who lead link

https://www.wjr.com/women-who-lead/#:~:text=Nishtha%20Sareen%20~%202023%20Women%20Who%20Lead%20Honoree,-Powered%20by%20Simplecast&text=Oct.,Medical%20School%20with%20high%20honors

Ascension links

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUMIgznwJPI

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/nZVk7Vg8xgw