(Joplin, MO) – His father is a respected Pakistani physician. One brother is a radiation oncologist in England. His other brother is a UK-based rheumatologist. So, it makes perfect sense that Freeman Health System’s Dr. Jamal Rabbi, cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon, would unquestionably continue the longstanding family tradition.
Dating back to his early teenage years, Dr. Rabbi had his sights set firmly on the heart, the most important muscle in the human body.
“You could say I was very much fascinated with the heart and vascular system at an early age,” he said.
When Dr. Rabbi left his native Pakistan for his residency in the United States, he wanted to focus on a field of medicine that would make an immediate and positive impact on his patients. Again, the human heart beckoned.
“With cardiac surgery, you can make a definitely difference to your patient,” Dr. Rabbi said. “And it is pretty challenging, which I like. I love the innovation. It’s ever-evolving. You learn something new one week, and it is being changed the next. I like being updated with technology because that innovation makes it so much better for my patients.”
It’s a bit of a homecoming for Dr. Rabbi. A fixture at Freeman Heart & Vascular Institute from 2014 to 2019, he had to leave Joplin due to family reasons. In 2024, he happily returned to the one place he and his family call home.
“When we left Joplin, my family — my kids — were very happy here,” Dr. Rabbi said. “We love Joplin. We love the size of the town. When we came back here it was like coming back to our home. We’re excited to be back here. Everything is lovely.”
It’s safe to say Dr. Rabbi knows something about repairing hearts.
“I have done a lot of hearts,” he said with a smile.
Currently, Dr. Rabbi performs the following surgeries: Peripheral angioplasty (opening narrowed or blocked arteries in the arms, legs, and feet), and peripheral stent placement, open heart surgery, coronary artery bypass grafting (creating new pathways around narrow or blocked coronary arteries), and heart valve replacement.
Dr. Rabbi performs roughly 150 heart surgeries each year. Beyond the surgical table, he makes it a mission to educate his patients, and the public in general, about the risk factors that inevitably lead to cardiovascular disease. There are actions people can adopt to prevent situations from escalating to a point to where they would require Dr. Rabbi’s surgical attention.
Excessive smoking is a big one. Obesity, a high saturated fat and sodium diet, high cholesterol and blood pressure, and diabetes are additional risk factors for heart disease.
Dr. Rabbi notes that the more risk factors a person has, the higher his or her risk of developing heart diseases. By identifying and managing these risk factors, individuals can reduce their chances of developing this serious condition.
“Most of the diseases can be preventable with a change in lifestyle habits,” Dr. Rabbi said. “The preventative side is very important. We need to indulge ourselves in a daily kind of exercise. I can tell you this much— a 30-minute daily walk will make a big difference.”
Dr. Rabbi attended medical school at Khyber Medical College at the University of Peshawar in Pakistan, served his general surgical residency at Fairview Hospital/Cleveland Clinic and received his Thoracic Fellowship from the University of Tennessee-Memphis and New England Medical Center-Tufts University. He received his Critical Care Fellowship from Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine.
“The services you are receiving from Freeman Heart & Vascular Institute are nothing less than what you would receive on the east or west coasts,” Dr. Rabbi said. “We have all of the technologies and we are providing the same type of services they have. We definitely have a strong system here.”
When away from the hospital, Dr. Rabbi enjoys spending time with his wife and family. His daughter is in fourth grade – “she is very close to my heart,” he said — while his son, a high school junior, plans to carry on the family tradition by attending the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
“My hobby is my family,” he said with pride. “We do all things together.”
About Freeman Health System
Locally owned, not-for-profit and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital and Ozark Center – the area’s largest provider of behavioral health services – as well as two urgent care clinics, dozens of physician clinics and a variety of specialty services. In 2024, Freeman earned dozens of individual awards for medical excellence and patient safety from CareChex®, a quality rating system that helps consumers evaluate healthcare providers and their experiences. U.S. News & World Report named Freeman Health System one of the Best Hospitals for 2022. With more than 320 physicians on staff representing more than 90 specialties, Freeman provides cancer care, heart care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, children’s services, women’s services, and many others for all of the Four State Area. Freeman is also involved in numerous community-based activities and sponsored events and celebrations. Additionally, in the Joplin/Pittsburg areas, Freeman is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com.
Reference:
Kevin McClintock, Media Relations Coordinator
Freeman Health System
417.434.3458
KSMcclintock@freemanhealth.com
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