Recruiting Innovation: How an EP at WRHN is changing the rhythm of care
WRHN Staff Spotlight
Ask Dr. Gabriel Acosta about innovation in cardiac care and his eyes light up. You can hear the passion in his voice; you can see the excitement on his face.
And you can tell immediately that helping patients by using breakthrough technology really matters to him.
Dr. Acosta, a Colombia native who studied cardiology in Barcelona, is one of the all-stars of the electrophysiology (EP) program at Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN). Together with his team, Dr. Acosta spends his days treating abnormal heart rhythms and advancing the field in remarkable ways.
And he loves every minute of it.
There’s an appetite for innovation, creativity, and advancement that’s so contagious here,” he says.
We want to be the best cardiac centre in Canada. How amazing to be part of that.
A culture of excellence
Dr. Acosta joined WRHN in July 2025 after a competitive recruitment and application process. But, he almost didn’t apply. Unsure about leaving Hamilton Health Sciences, Dr. Acosta held off on submitting his application until hours before the deadline.
“I decided not to apply, but then I just kept thinking: ‘what if I’m letting a huge opportunity pass me by?’” he says. “So I applied and went through the interview process and from the beginning, it felt like this was a match.”
Dr. Acosta had moved to Canada in 2015 for a fellowship in Hamilton. After doing contract work at WRHN, he became familiar with the team and was awed by their achievements.
Before joining WRHN, Dr. Acosta befriended Dr. Umjeet Jolly, another electrophysiologist who was adopting more efficient ablation techniques to treat atrial fibrillation – a heart rhythm condition that can increase the risk of stroke and heart failure.
Jolly was among the first doctors in Canada to progress to three ablations per day (two is the standard). Then, he started doing four.
“I kept seeing him making advancements,” Dr. Acosta says. “He was so fast but so effective.
When I came to see him and learn from him, I realized it wasn’t just him – it was the whole team around him that was amazing. That’s what really got me excited to work here.
Advancing the field
With Dr. Acosta on the EP team, WRHN is regularly performing seven ablations per day – more than tripling what other cardiac centres are doing.
But it’s not just an increase in volume; it’s also expanding the types of procedures offered, so more patients can receive treatment locally.
"Within months of his arrival, our team successfully introduced three new ablation procedures – an important reflection of WRHN’s commitment to innovation and advancing cardiac care,” says Al Qahwash, Director of Cardiac and Critical Care at WRHN. “His expertise has accelerated our ability to bring leading-edge therapies to patients in our region and care closer to home."
This progress is absolutely a team effort. At the same time, Gabe’s contributions have helped elevate WRHN’s profile, with cardiac centres across the country and internationally looking to us as a leader in electrophysiology.
— Al Qahwash, Director of Cardiac and Critical Care at WRHN.
A new perspective
Dr. Acosta brings more to WRHN than his innovative spirit.
He’s passionate about helping his patients and educating the community through his Spanish-speaking social media videos. He volunteers his time and even started his own foundation in his hometown in Colombia for kids with disabilities. His cultural background – and the skill and technique he learned in Spain – have been assets.
"He brings a diverse perspective and valuable lived experience that allow him to connect with patients in meaningful ways,” says Al. “That’s one of the key advantages of recruiting internationally – we strengthen both our clinical excellence and our ability to serve a growing diverse community.”
For Dr. Acosta, seeing his patients live fuller lives after treatment drives him to keep pushing innovative boundaries.
“A lot of patients come to me and they say: ‘I have a cruise booked. Should I cancel it?’ And I say: ‘No, don’t cancel it! This procedure is going to let you live your life,’” Dr. Acosta says. “So, being able to give patients back their quality of life and buying them more time with their families, that’s extremely rewarding."
I’m so happy I get to do this work every day – and that I get to do it in this community.
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