New cardiovascular surgeon joins Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center and Orlando Health Heart & Vascular Institute

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 6, 2020) --- Karen “Kalei” Walker, MD, MHS, cardiovascular surgeon recently joined Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) and the Orlando Health Heart & Vascular Institute.

Her clinical interests include all aspects of cardiac and vascular surgery with a specific focus on coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), valve surgery, aortic surgery, and revisional surgery (or second time operations). She uses traditional surgical techniques, endovascular technology, and hybrid approaches which incorporate both surgical and endovascular techniques to create individualized care.

Dr. Walker is a native Floridian and earned her medical degree from the University of Florida, College of Medicine. She completed her residency in vascular surgery at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire and is board certified in vascular surgery. Following her training in vascular surgery, she trained in cardiothoracic surgery at Washington University in St. Louis. She has a Master of Health Science from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Dr. Walker’s research has focused on resource utilization and the incorporation of new technology in cardiac and vascular surgery.  She received the Alley-Sheridan Scholarship from the Thoracic Surgery Foundation to attend the Leadership Program for Health Policy and Management at Brandeis University. She is a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the Society of Vascular Surgeons.

About Orlando Health  

Orlando Health is a not-for-profit healthcare organization with $5.6 billion of assets under management. The system spans nine Florida counties with nearly 450 locations that include 13 wholly-owned or affiliated hospitals and emergency departments; rehabilitation services, cancer centers, heart institutes, imaging and laboratory services, wound care centers, more than 300 physician offices for adults and pediatrics, and 11 urgent care centers in partnership with CareSpot Urgent Care. In FY18, Orlando Health served approximately 167,000 inpatients, more than 2.7 million outpatients, and more than 20,000 international patients. The organization is home to the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, and is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. Nearly 3,600 physicians have privileges across the system, which is also one of the area’s largest employers with nearly 20,500 employees. Additionally, Orlando Health provides more than $620 million in total value to the community in the form of charity care, community benefit programs and services, community building activities and more. Additional information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.