Attila Feher, MD, PhD

Attila Feher, MD, PhD, is a cardiologist who specializes in multimodality cardiovascular imaging, which involves analyzing pictures of the heart taken with the help of such technologies as CT scan, MRI, and nuclear imaging. He also has a special interest in preventing and managing heart disease in patients who have underlying autoimmune and rheumatologic disorders through Yale Medicine’s Cardio-Rheumatology Program.

Dr. Feher says a curiosity of human biology inspired him to study medicine, but it was during his training, when he began to interact with patients, that he knew he’d chosen the right path.

“Understanding patients’ inner feelings and helping them emotionally has always been as important to me as understanding the nature of their medical conditions,” Dr. Feher says. “I truly believe in and try to practice the instruction left by Sir William Osler, MD, one of the greatest internists of the 20th century, about keeping the patient in the center: ‘Care more particularly for the individual patient than for the special features of the disease.’”

Dr. Feher says caring for cardiology patients provides him with many opportunities to build long-lasting relationships, which are especially important in cardio-rheumatology, since autoimmune disease requires continuous monitoring. “I think meaningful interactions and paying attention to the details while keeping the patient's needs in the center are key to successfully prevent, treat, and potentially cure cardiovascular disease,” he says.

Dr. Feher’s research interests include studying the impact of autoimmune conditions on cardiovascular health, and the best ways to apply cardiovascular imaging techniques to the evaluation of coronary microvascular disease. “My clinic actively shapes my research,” he says. “I believe the bedside is the perfect place to find research topics that are relevant not only to scientists, but to patients as well.”