The Heart Institute of East Texas

07/20/2026

07/04/2026

On this special 250th anniversary of our nation, HIET celebrates the courage, compassion, and community spirit that continue to inspire a healthier and stronger East Texas. Happy 4th of July from The Heart Institute! ❤️🇺🇸

07/02/2026

🇺🇸 🩺 ❤️On this historic celebration of America’s 250 years of freedom, thank you to our hospital staff for your extraordinary commitment, courage, and compassion. Your service makes a profound difference in the lives of our patients and our community. 🇺🇸 🩺 ❤️

05/28/2026

The Heart Institute of East Texas physicians led St. Luke’s Lufkin to achieve the highest star rating 4 of 4 stars from the American college of Cardiology - NCDR registry. A huge achievement for our community.

05/18/2026

Dr. Bachireddy, Dr. Patel and Dr. Vettiankal are Principal Investigators in a new Smartwatch study regarding Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)!! Heart research that fits into your life style, if you have risk factors for CAD please reach out to us! There is no study drug.

04/30/2026

The Heart Institute of East Texas Welcomes Dr. Andrew Davis Assaf, MD, FACC, FSCAI, RPVI

Lufkin, TX — The Heart Institute of East Texas is pleased to announce the addition of Andrew Davis Assaf, MD, FACC, FSCAI, RPVI, to its distinguished team of cardiovascular specialists. Dr. Assaf joins the practice with an extensive background in interventional cardiology, cardiovascular disease, and endovascular interventions.

Dr. Assaf brings a wealth of clinical leadership experience to the region, having most recently served as the Associate Chief of Cardiology at CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview. During his tenure in Longview, he was instrumental in overseeing cardiac care standards and leading a multidisciplinary team of heart specialists, earning a reputation for clinical excellence and patient-centered care.

Dr. Assaf earned his medical degree from the LAU Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine. He completed his residency training in Internal Medicine at Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas, followed by dual fellowships in Cardiovascular Disease and Interventional Cardiology at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine/Ascension Providence Hospital.

Dr. Assaf is board certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease, and Interventional Cardiology. He also holds the prestigious Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation (RPVI) credential, recognizing his high level of expertise in non-invasive vascular diagnostics. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC) and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (FSCAI).

By joining the Heart Institute of East Texas, Dr. Assaf integrates his leadership background with a program at CHI St. Luke’s Health – Memorial Lufkin that has been recognized for eight consecutive years as an ACC HeartCARE Center of Excellence.

“We are honored to welcome Dr. Assaf to our team,” said Dr. Ravinder Bachireddy, Chief of Cardiology at St. Luke’s Health – Memorial Lufkin & President at The Heart Institute of East Texas. “His experience as a Associate Chief of Cardiology in Longview and his specialized training in interventional procedures will be a tremendous asset as we continue to expand the highest level of cardiac care across Deep East Texas.”

Dr. Assaf will be seeing patients in Lufkin and surrounding areas, offering advanced diagnosis and treatment for complex coronary conditions.

For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Assaf, please call 936.632.8787. You can also visit www.hiet.com to request an appointment.

04/07/2026

“A big Heart Institute of East Texas thank you to the St. Luke's Health Memorial volunteers! 💙 We're so grateful for your dedicated service to our community and the invaluable support you provide to our patients. A special shout-out for the CABG teddy bears you bring to our Cardiovascular Surgery patients. These small bears make a big impact in bringing comfort and a smile to our patients during their recovery. Thank you for your kindness, generosity, and the care you put into everything you do!"