Raymond D. Bahr, MD, FACC, renowned cardiologist, leader and advocate, passed away on Jan. 14 at the age of 90.

Many of those who knew Bahr heard his story about Jack, the local tailor, who had come by the pharmacy where Bahr was working when he was 22, complaining about mild chest discomfort and who ultimately died of a heart attack later that day. That moment, according to Bahr, is what inspired him to become a cardiologist and jumpstarted his lifelong commitment to improving heart attack care in the hospital and in the community.

"Dr. Bahr's pioneering efforts drove improvements in heart attack care throughout the U.S. and worldwide," said Phillip Levy, MD, MPH, FACC. "He was a mentor to me in my early days with the Society of Chest Pain Centers which he founded and I have learned so much from him over the years. After we merged with the ACC, Ray played a pivotal role in ensuring the core principles of his vision were maintained and, as a result, the ACC is better positioned to help ensure that all cardiovascular patients have access to the best care possible. The world is a better because of Dr. Bahr and he will be missed."

Bahr received his medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and completed his residency at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and St. Agnes Hospital, both in Baltimore, MD. Among his many accomplishments, Bahr worked with leading cardiologists such as Paul Dudley White, MD, to set up the first-ever Chest Pain Center in the Emergency Room at St. Agnes in 1981. The center, the first in the world, fast-tracked patients presenting in the emergency room with early heart attack symptoms.

Bahr was also behind the creation of the Society of Chest Pain Centers in 1998, which later became the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC), and ultimately transitioned to ACC Accreditation Services in January 2016. Still troubled by the number of heart attack patients who didn't even make it to the hospital, Bahr created the Early Heart Attack Care (EHAC) educational program – a public education effort designed to raise awareness of early heart attack signs and symptoms and educate individuals about the important of immediate action. As of last year, more than 3 million people had taken the EHAC pledge to recognize the beginnings of a heart attack and take early action.

"Dr. Bahr leaves behind a 50-year legacy dedicated to stopping heart attacks before they occur. Starting with the Paul Dudley White Coronary Care Unit at St. Agnes Hospital to what we know today as ACC Accreditation Services, he impacted the lives of countless fellows and mentees, while also reaching millions through EHAC" writes ACC CEO Cathleen Gates. "It was a true privilege to know him, and we are honored to continue carrying on his work."

When he wasn't saving lives and educating people, Bahr was busy spending time with his wife and family and also a tireless advocate for social justice and the environment, a passionate fan of the Orioles and Ravens, and an avid historian of Canton, MD.

"Dr. Bahr was a pioneer in the concept of early heart attack treatment, encouraging patients to call for help at the first sign of symptoms - as well as leading a national effort setting up and accrediting 'chest pain centers' (now overseen by the ACC), which have standardized approaches to rapidly diagnose and treat heart attack patients," said Christopher P. Cannon, MD, FACC. "This approach limits the severity of heart attacks and saves lives, and this concept remains as the key underpinning of heart attack treatment today."

Read more about Bahr's life in this 2016 Cardiology profile.

Keywords: Accreditation, In Memoriam, History, Biography