Sewickley doctor returns to care for hearts in the community

Dr. Chad Kosanovich knows some of his newest patients from his childhood.

“Some of the people who come in are parents of my friends,” said Kosanovich, a cardiologist practicing medicine in his hometown of Sewickley. “There is some added stress there because I know them. But the goal has always been to come back home.”

Kosanovich completed his medical education at Georgetown University School of Medicine. He moved back in 2017 when he was matched at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine for his internal medicine residency. He completed the internal medicine residency, then a general cardiology fellowship and, most recently, a fellowship focused on advanced cardiac imaging.

He is currently a physician at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute at UPMC Passavant in McCandless. The UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute was one of the first heart transplant centers in the country and developer of one of the first heart-assist devices.

During an interview there last month, Kosanovich, 33, said he will provide inpatient noninvasive cardiac care at the heart and vascular institute, which includes both McCandless and Cranberry campuses, as well as outpatient services in McCandless, Cranberry and Sewickley, where he sees patients a few times a week. The Sewickley office is at 111 Hazel Lane.

“Taking care of your heart is so important,” said Kosanovich, who added a proper diet and exercise are essential to keeping a heart healthy. “Prevention is the No. 1 goal so that patients won’t need a procedure or operation. The heart is an exciting organ, and, with the latest technology, we can get answers quickly.”

A big area of his focus is helping to support Dr. George Cater, a clinical cardiologist who specializes in advanced imaging and is the director of CT at UPMC Passavant. He and Kosanovich are working to expand the CT program because this advanced imaging of the coronary arteries allows for direct visualization of the degree of coronary stenosis in a noninvasive manner, Kosanovich said. CT imaging has very detailed imaging capabilities, he said.

“Chad is a wonderful physician and a phenomenal fellow, and I am excited he is helping us to help grow imaging,” Cater said.

Kosanovich said the imaging area of his job is interesting every day. He said he is honored to work alongside Cater, who is one of the best in cardiology.

“It is sometimes difficult to take a picture of something that is moving such as the heart, but the technology has gotten so much better,” Kosanovich said. “Finding the right test for the right person is so important. If we find the right test, then we believe we can do something to improve a person’s quality of life.”

Kosanovich said being home is ideal because it allows him to care for the community that has always supported him. His parents and in-laws live in the area, which is a bonus to being in the town where he grew up.

He and his wife, Devin, who have been married for five years and have two young children, lived for a time in Squirrel Hill before settling in Sewickley in 2020, not far from where Kosanovich went to elementary school. Kosanovich recalled that science and math were his favorite subjects in school and both are part of his everyday work.

He said the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute is an ideal location for him to have found his dream job. UPMC is like a second family, he said. He said UPMC’s dedication to investing in advanced cardiac imaging allows him every day to provide the best care to members of his hometown.

“There is no greater joy than the ability to help others,” said Kosanovich. “That joy, combined with my love for science in a medical career, was a perfect fit. When I was young, I did not appreciate the benefits of living in Sewickley. I am excited to be here because this region is the best place to be for medical care and to be able to provide that care close to home is wonderful. Coming back and seeing friends with their families and knowing some of my patients from childhood has been so welcoming. There really is no place like home.”