Emory Saint Joseph's Cardiologist Wins Burson Award

SANDY SPRINGS, GA -- Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital cardiologist William M. Lieppe, MD, was recently named the 26th recipient of the hospital's annual E. Napier "Buck" Burson, Jr., MD Physician Award of Distinction.

The award is Emory Saint Joseph's highest honor for physician service and is named for the late Dr. Burson, who served as chief of the hospital's medical staff for 25 years, leading Saint Joseph’s after its relocation to Sandy Springs in 1978.

Burson award recipients are selected for their adherence to the Mercy philosophy and contribution to the Mercy mission in Atlanta; contribution to the quality of medicine practiced at Emory Saint Joseph’s; and leadership as a member of the medical staff.

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“I am both excited and honored to represent the excellent and wonderful medical staff as the recipient of this award,” Dr. Lieppe said. “Through the years, the mission of this hospital and the Sisters of Mercy have always encouraged me as a physician.”

A Sandy Springs resident, Dr. Lieppe joined the Emory University School of Medicine faculty in 1978 and began practicing fully full-time at Saint Joseph’s Hospital in 1982. He is a pioneer in the treatment of aortic stenosis using the transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure, (TAVR), a minimally invasive procedure that allows physicians to place a new valve inside the heart without stopping the heart or opening the chest.

Lieppe performed the first TAVR in 2011 at Emory Saint Joseph’s, and this program has experienced considerable growth under his leadership.

“Physicians are the core of everything we do and over the past 35 years," said Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital CEO Heather Dexter." Dr. Lieppe has demonstrated his tireless commitment to Emory Saint Joseph’s and patients in our community."

Dr. Lieppe currently serves as the director of the cardiac catheterization lab and interventional cardiology at Emory Saint Joseph’s, a role he has held for the past decade.

During his distinguished career at the hospital, Lieppe’s additional contributions include service as a member of the hospital’s credentials committee for more than 25 years, and as a member of the Saint Joseph’s Hospital Board of Directors. Prior to his work at Emory Saint Joseph’s, Lieppe worked as the director of the cardiac catheterization lab at Grady Memorial Hospital.

A native of New York, Dr. Lieppe received his undergraduate degree from Yale University and his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He completed his residency at the State University of New York and fellowship at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Lieppe is a fellow in the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association.

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Photo: Dr. William Lieppe, MD pictured with his family (l to r): daughter Alex, wife Randee and son Josh. Credit: Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital