From Hall High to the Heart of Saint Francis: Dr. DeSimone Comes Home

From Hall High to the Heart of Saint Francis: Dr. DeSimone Comes Home

By Kimberly Lucey Millen / Photography by Stan Godlewski

Driving to his new position as chief of cardiac surgery at Saint Francis Hospital last year, Joseph DeSimone, M.D., passed the ice rink where he played goalie in high school. He drove by the Hill-Stead Museum, where he helped build the back gate one summer, and even his old preschool at the University of Saint Joseph. “It really was surreal,” he says. “The plan was always to return, but professionally my goal was to be the chief of a cardiac surgery program. Finding both at Saint Francis has been a dream come true.”

A Full-Circle Homecoming

After graduating from Hall High School in West Hartford, Dr. DeSimone went on to the University of Notre Dame and later returned to the Nutmeg state for medical school at the University of Connecticut. He trained at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and completed a cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. He spent the next 17 years back at Dartmouth Hitchcock as an attending cardiac surgeon and assistant professor of surgery at the Geisel School of Medicine.

“Cardiac surgery just fit my professional mindset,” he explains. “It’s physiologically concrete. You find a leaky valve, you fix it. You find a blocked artery, you bypass it. The ‘plumbing’ just made sense to me.” When the opportunity came to return home and lead the program at Saint Francis, he knew it was time. “Sometimes the path doesn’t seem like it’s making sense, but looking back, it all comes together. I ended up exactly where I needed to be.”

Making Heart Surgery Personal
Now as chief of cardiac surgery at Saint Francis, Dr. DeSimone is focused on continuing to raise the visibility and reputation of the program. “It’s about building volume, yes; but more importantly, it’s about building trust through consistency, safety and personalization. I want our patients to know they’re not just a chart or procedure; they are people with lives, families, fears and goals.”

A strong believer in personalized care, Dr. DeSimone makes it a point to be present and accessible. “I’ve been a patient myself, and I’ve seen the difference it makes when care feels personal. Not everyone gets the kind of attention a surgeon does when he’s a patient in the hospital, but I want our patients to feel seen, heard and cared for every step of the way.” He encourages his team to adopt the same philosophy. “I don’t want anyone routed through a phone tree or left wondering what’s next. We’re here for them.”

Consistency and Confidence
Dr. DeSimone also brings a distinct surgical philosophy to his work. “I do every cardiac procedure short of transplants,” he says. “But what’s just as important to me is how we do it. Minimally invasive, small-incision approaches, when safe and appropriate, are what I prioritize. Patients feel better, recover faster and carry less of a visible reminder of what they went through. And when it’s done the same way every time, with precision, it builds confidence for the patient and the surgeon. You want your pilot to land the airplane the same way every time, and I’m going to do my heart surgery the same way every time.” That confidence is something he hears echoed from patients. “People don’t want to have surgery, they want to feel better. So, when you can say, ‘yes, I can do this safely, with a smaller incision, and get you back to your life,’ that’s powerful. It doesn’t eliminate the risks, but it helps ease the fear. And that’s everything.”

A Robotic Revival
Dr. DeSimone also has his sights set on advancing the program through innovation, specifically by reintroducing robotic-assisted cardiac surgery to Saint Francis. “It’s something I’ve always believed in,” he explains. “While not right for every case, it can be a game-changer for the right patient. Robotic surgery is already strong here in thoracic and OB/GYN. We want to bring that same excellence to cardiac.”

He sees this as part of a bigger mission: bringing the latest tools, best practices and a deeply personal touch to every patient encounter. “Working at Dartmouth for so many years really instilled in me the importance of that personal touch,” says Dr. DeSimone. “It was a small town, and you were often operating on your neighbor’s mother or your colleague’s spouse. That changes how you care. You look people in the eye. You check in with them. You remember that every patient is someone’s whole world.”

A Legacy Reimagined
Dr. DeSimone’s long-term goal is to continue growing the program, building a strong and cohesive team, and raising public awareness of what’s possible in cardiac care right here in Hartford. “We’re building something special,” he says. “With the legacy of the Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute, the strength of the Trinity Health Of New England network, and a renewed commitment to personalized, high-quality care, we’re putting Saint Francis back on the map for cardiac excellence.”

As Dr. DeSimone continues building the future of cardiac surgery at Saint Francis, one thing is clear: for him, it’s personal because this community is home. “This isn’t just a job,” he concludes. “It’s the second half of my career, and I want to make it count. I’ve got the energy, the experience, and now the hometown stage to make a real, lasting impact.”

Kimberly Lucey Millen is a freelance journalist with more than two decades of experience in both print and broadcast media. She lives in New England with her husband and son, exploring all that each of the four seasons has to offer.

Stan Godlewski is an editorial, corporate and healthcare photographer based in Connecticut and working primarily between Boston and New York City.