Donald L. Mitts, MD, FACC, FACS
Background
Dr. Mitts joined Ohio Heart and Vascular Center in 2002, but he’s been with The Christ Hospital for over 30 years. His specialty is cardiovascular surgery. He treats adults with heart disease, often those who have congenital defects. He performs by-passes, valve replacements/repairs and some vascular surgeries.
Born in Dayton, Ohio, Dr. Mitts grew up in the rural farm community of Sherman, Kentucky. His father was a farmer on 800 acres and his mother was a rural county hospital nurse. Science and other areas pertinent to the medical field came easily for Dr. Mitts throughout high school and college. These gifts, along with his desire to help other people, made him realize that he wanted to become a physician.
Dr. Mitts enjoys basketball and played for a year and a half for the Wildcats at the University of Kentucky, where the iconic Adolph Rupp was varsity coach. However, he was still focused on becoming a physician and decided to attend Medical School at the University of Kentucky. It was there that he was drawn to cardiac surgery due to the dramatic and rapid improvement it provided patients. “It allows me to make these big differences in people’s lives. Certainly we can have foreboding times together, but in the end, I just like watching my patients flourish.”
His wife, Elizabeth, is an attorney, specializing in child advocacy. Their blended family includes five children, three dogs and a rabbit named Midnight. All of his children play sports and his 31-year-year daughter, Heather, is a world famous soccer player with two Olympic gold medals. Dr. Mitts and his wife are active in several community projects. They volunteer at a local burn institute, and they are working with Cincinnati’s Children’s Hospital to establish a HeartGift program. HeartGift is a heart-repair program for children from around the world.
For the past five years, Dr. Mitts has done in-heart surgery procedures that are televised on-site to high school seniors. Afterwards, in the auditorium, they discuss everything about the case. It’s his way of introducing young people to medicine and encouraging them to enter the field.
Between his work, his family and his many community activities, Dr. Mitts squeezes in a game or two of squash or tennis, plus he still shoots the basketball from time to time. When he gets a chance, especially during hay season, he also goes back to farm to lend a helping hand.
Highlights:
Dr. Mitts is a fellow in the American College of Cardiology as well as the American College of Surgeons.
Education
Undergraduate:
University of Kentucky
Medical Degree :
University of Kentucky
Surgical Internship:
University of Kentucky
Residency:
University of Texas
General and Thoracic Surgery
Training:
Completed training for the Eclipse Holmium Laser to perform TMR
Board Certifications:
The American Board of Surgery
The Board of Thoracic Surgery
Subspecialties:
Cardiac Surgery
Office Locations / Hospitals
Mt. Auburn-Cardiac Surgery
2123 Auburn Ave.
Suite 100
Cincinnati, OH 45219
Phone: 513-206-1170
Bethesda North Hospital
The Christ Hospital