Announcement: Dr. Peter O’Brien Appointed Vice Chair of VCSQI

National cardiovascular quality leader and founding member of the VA Heart Attack Coalition joins VCSQI leadership

VCSQI is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Peter O’Brien, MD as Vice Chair.

Dr. O’Brien will serve a one-year term as Vice Chair and will assume the role of Chair in 2027, consistent with the organization’s leadership succession process.

Dr. O’Brien is a nationally respected cardiologist and interventional cardiologist with deep expertise in systems of care for acute myocardial infarction and complex cardiovascular disease. He received his undergraduate degree from Bucknell University and completed medical school, internship, and residency training at the University of Virginia. He went on to complete fellowships in Cardiology and Interventional Cardiology at Wake Forest University.

He is board certified in Cardiovascular Disease, Interventional Cardiology, and Vascular and Endovascular Medicine. His clinical and programmatic focus includes peripheral artery disease, coronary and peripheral arterial intervention, and the treatment of acute myocardial infarction. He currently serves as Director of the Acute MI Program at Centra Health.

At the national level, Dr. O’Brien has played a significant role in shaping cardiovascular systems of care. He served on the American Heart Association’s National Guideline Writing Committee for Systems of Care Development for Myocardial Infarction and contributed to the American College of Cardiology’s Door-to-Balloon (D2B) Initiative. He was also a regional lead and author for Duke University and the AHA’s Mission: Lifeline STEMI Accelerator-2 Project.

Dr. O’Brien is a founding member and current Co-Chairman of the Virginia Heart Attack Coalition, where he has helped advance coordinated, statewide approaches to heart attack care.

In addition to his U.S.-based work, Dr. O’Brien serves as Medical Director of Madaktari Africa, where he led the team that performed the first cardiac catheterization in Tanzania and the first PCI at a Tanzanian public hospital, and continues to support cardiovascular education and care in the region.

As Vice Chair of VCSQI, Dr. O’Brien brings proven leadership in clinical care, national guideline development, and execution of large-scale quality improvement initiatives. His experience and focus align directly with VCSQI’s mission and future direction.

VCSQI welcomes Dr. O’Brien to this leadership role and looks forward to his continued impact as Vice Chair and incoming Chair.