About

Lee R. Goldberg, MD, MPH, is a Professor of Medicine in the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He is an active member of the Penn Cardiovascular Institute and the Penn Medicine Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology. Dr. Goldberg holds multiple roles including Section Chief of Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant at the University of Pennsylvania, Disease Team Lead for Heart Failure, Vice Chair for Informatics in the Department of Medicine, and Associate Chief Health Information Officer for Penn Medicine. His clinical expertise encompasses heart failure, cardiomyopathy, disease management, telemedicine, cardiac transplantation, sleep apnea, myocarditis, ventricular assist devices, heart-lung transplantation, endomyocardial biopsy, and hemodynamics. His research focuses on heart failure, technology-driven disease management, immunosuppression, and clinical outcomes, with a particular interest in the application of computer technology and electronic health records in cardiovascular care.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Internal medicine
• Surgery
• Environmental health
• Family medicine
• Medical emergency
• Physical therapy
• Emergency medicine
• Anesthesia

Selected publications

• Association Without Causation

  JACC Heart Failure · 2026-03-05

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• RECOVER-HF: A Sham-Controlled, Double-Blind Pivotal Trial of Synchronized Diaphragmatic Stimulation in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction

  Journal of Cardiac Failure · 2026-03-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Synchronized Diaphragmatic Stimulation (SDS) is a novel implantable device-based intervention designed to augment cardiac function by applying cardiac-synchronized electrical stimulation to the diaphragm without altering respiration or being perceptible to patients [1–4]. The diaphragm is widely known for its central role in breathing, but it also strongly affects loading and unloading of the heart. With each breath the diaphragm acts as an ancillary cardiac pump [5]. SDS harnesses the diaphragm as a natural left-ventricular assist for heart failure patients, leveraging a mechanism of action that is largely independent of cardiac anatomy, heart failure phenotypes, and patient comorbidities.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Cardiovascular Disease Care Beyond the Cardiologist: An Overview of the Rollout of Transthoracic Echocardiography Training and Services in Kenya

  Global Heart · 2025-05-30 · 1 citations

  reviewOpen access

  Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), yet access to echocardiography remains limited due to workforce shortages. The Kenya Cardiac Society (KCS), in collaboration with the American College of Cardiology (ACC), launched a 16-week transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) training program to address this gap. This blended learning initiative trains non-cardiologist healthcare workers through online modules, hands-on workshops, and expert mentorship. Since 2022, the program has trained 95 participants, enhancing diagnostic capacity and expanding echocardiography services to underserved areas. Early outcomes include reduced patient travel distances, improved early detection of cardiac conditions, and strengthened CVD management at secondary and tertiary levels. Challenges such as limited equipment access and financial constraints persist, but strategic partnerships and innovative training models demonstrate the program's potential for scalability. The KCS-ACC-TTE program highlights the effectiveness of task-sharing and collaboration in strengthening cardiovascular care, offering a replicable framework for LMICs to improve access to essential cardiac diagnostics.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Synchronized diaphragmatic stimulation for the treatment of HFrEF—a review

  Heart Failure Reviews · 2025-05-28 · 1 citations

  reviewOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  The gap between maximally tolerated medical therapy and consideration for permanent mechanical circulatory support and/or cardiac transplant or palliative treatment of moderate to severe heart failure represents an underserved patient population. New therapies are evolving which may not only improve quality of life for these patients but also improve hemodynamics and potentially reverse the progression of the disease. This review is focused on one such therapy, synchronized diaphragmatic stimulation. Current clinical results suggest that patients experience improved exercise tolerance, quality of life, and hemodynamic function over 6-12 months of therapy which can be safely implemented through a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure, often as an outpatient. This technology has been granted breakthrough device designation and is being evaluated for a double-blinded, randomized controlled trial by the US FDA.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• FULMINANT VIRAL MYOCARDITIS PRECIPITATING ACUTE LIVER FAILURE

  Journal of the American College of Cardiology · 2025-03-29

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Abstract P1069: Health Care Professional Perspectives on IMPLEMENT-HF: A Qualitative Study Examining Successes, Facilitators, and Barriers in a Quality Improvement Program for Patients with Heart Failure

  Circulation · 2025-03-11

  article

  Introduction: Heart failure (HF) leads to over 1 million hospitalizations and 450,000 related deaths annually, yet there are substantial quality gaps in care. In 2021, the American Heart Association launched IMPLEMENT-HF (I-HF), a 3-year national Quality Improvement (QI) initiative, to improve care and outcomes for patients with HF. Several QI strategies were used and evaluated over the course of this initiative. Purpose: Focus groups were conducted to gather health care professional (HCP) perspectives on I-HF implementation. Results will assist in determining overall program impact and to identify successes, barriers, and facilitators to inform implementation of future QI programs. Methods: This study involved virtual focus groups (n=8) with HCPs (n=25) recruited from the 111 sites enrolled in I-HF. A semi-structured focus group guide was developed to facilitate the 60-minute sessions. Focus groups were recorded and transcribed, and inductive and deductive thematic analyses conducted in NVivo identified key high-level themes and subthemes. Results: HCPs felt I-HF improved their care team’s knowledge of HF treatment options and their confidence in treating patients with HF. They reported improvements in prescribing guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT), medication adherence, and follow-up appointment attendance during the program period. HCPs appreciated the flexibility and variety of I-HF’s educational offerings, opportunities to learn from other HCPs, and the benefits of the Get With The Guidelines® program on patient care. Commonly cited implementation barriers included high staff turnover, clinical roles taking precedence, and a lack of leadership and organization within their sites, which hindered full engagement with I-HF. The cost of and lack of insurance coverage for GDMT was frequently cited as a major burden for patients and a barrier to uptake. Conclusions: QI programs like I-HF can improve care and outcomes for patients with HF and increase HCP knowledge and confidence in providing appropriate treatments. Several cited implementation facilitators, such as flexible educational offerings, can be replicated in future programs. Some reported barriers, such as limited staff capacity, will be challenging to address. However, future initiatives can offer additional guidance on program implementation and recommend assigning a point person at each site to enhance internal organization and support more comprehensive adoption of program activities.

  PublisherDOI

• COMPARING VENTRICULAR ARRHYTHMIA ORIGIN TO INFLAMMATION AND SCAR LOCATION IN CARDIAC SARCOIDOSIS PATIENTS RECEIVING IMMUNOSUPPRESSION THERAPY

  Journal of the American College of Cardiology · 2025-03-29

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Home-Operated Ultrasound Exam for Detection of Worsening Heart Failure (HOUSE-HF)

  ESC Heart Failure · 2025-07-03 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  AIMS: Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is associated with a high degree of morbidity and mortality. Dynamic lung ultrasound artefact called B-lines can be obtained at the bedside and directly correlate with pulmonary vascular congestion. Obtaining patient-performed lung ultrasound images in the outpatient setting is novel. We assessed the feasibility of patients recently hospitalized for ADHF to self-perform a limited lung ultrasound using a handheld ultrasound probe and upload the images to a secure cloud for physician interpretation. METHODS: This was a prospective observational convenience sample. Patients were enrolled from an urban academic tertiary care centre and were eligible if they had chronic left-sided heart failure regardless of ejection fraction. While hospitalized, patients were educated for 20 min on a six-lung-zone image protocol, how to use the cloud archival system and given a handheld ultrasound transducer and smart tablet. A brief instructional video was also available to patients on the smart tablet throughout the study (https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/bii7ovdcv21ps7yxyqsy1/120-21080-00-Rev-01-BNI-041-UPENN-IN-APP-TRAINING-VIDEO.mp4?rlkey=f5vu55xbnugdoz6jzyb8lv872&st=56es4qif&dl=0). Patients were asked to upload images three times weekly, for 3 weeks, for a total of nine studies. All images were reviewed and a B-line score was calculated for each lung zone, and a total B-line score for the entire exam. Additionally, patients completed a survey to assess the patient-centred experience. RESULTS: . Of them,33.3% had an ejection fraction >50%, average hospital length of stay was 6.3 days. Of the 792 potential images, 788 were obtained (99.5%). Of these, a total of 637 scans were interpretable (80.8%). The right upper apical lung zone (zone 1R) was most often adequate for interpretation (96.2%), where left lower mid-axillary (zone 3L) was least often interpretable (69.5%). The average number of B-lines per six-image scan was three (with a range of 0-13). Patient survey data identified zone 3L as the most challenging to obtain with overall high satisfaction with the study educational materials. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study demonstrates that patients with hospitalized ADHF can be taught to use a handheld portable ultrasound device and obtain and upload high quality lung ultrasound images. Compliance with the study protocol and ability to obtain some images were excellent. Further studies are needed to determine if patient-performed lung ultrasound can help detect and manage acute worsening HF in this patient population.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Every Journey Needs a Guide

  JACC Heart Failure · 2025-04-01

  editorial1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Multiregional Implementation Initiative’s Impact on Guideline-Based Performance Measures for Patients Hospitalized With Heart Failure: IMPLEMENT-HF

  Circulation Heart Failure · 2025-03-21 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Despite randomized data for survival benefit (with class 1 recommendations) for treating heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction using quadruple medical therapy (QMT)-defined as evidence-based β-blockers, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, preferably angiotensin receptor/neprilysin inhibitor, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist-it is underutilized. IMPLEMENT-HF is a multiregional HF quality improvement initiative to improve care and outcomes for patients with HF by enhancing the use of QMT in routine practice. METHODS: This analysis of HF with reduced ejection fraction treatment in patients from hospitals participating in the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines-HF who volunteered to participate in IMPLEMENT-HF in 7 US regions. IMPLEMENT-HF included multidisciplinary learning to share strategies for formulary changes, electronic health record tools, and patient resources with site-level feedback reports. Participants gathered QMT data at discharge and 30 days after discharge. We evaluated QMT utilization and variation, in addition to other prespecified performance measures, from Q1 2021 to Q2 2023. RESULTS: <0.0001). There was also substantially improved incorporation of health-related social needs assessments. The magnitude of improvements was similar when stratified by sex or race and ethnicity, yet there was significant regional variation. CONCLUSIONS: Among healthcare systems participating in IMPLEMENT-HF, there was a marked increase in QMT use among eligible patients over the course of the initiative. This quality improvement initiative supports a learning collaborative model to promote improvements in QMT use.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• G Ludwig

  98 shared

• J. É. Blamont

  Académie de Paris

  98 shared

• C. de Jager

  University of Pretoria

  98 shared

• Homer E. Newell

  98 shared

• U Sedov

  UCL Australia

  98 shared

• R. Lüst

  Max Planck Institute for Meteorology

  98 shared

• Robert Boyd

  Arizona State University

  98 shared

• Mariell Jessup

  American Heart Association

  94 shared

Education

• MPH

  Harvard University T H Chan School of Public Health

  1998

• MD

  Boston University School of Medicine

  1992

• AB, Biology and Government

  Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences

  1988