Georgia Heart Institute and NGPG welcome Cardiothoracic Surgeon Matthew Janko, MD

Published: Tuesday, October 22, 2024

When he was a student in medical school, Matthew Janko, MD, scrubbed in to assist surgeons during an organ transplant operation. The awe-inspiring experience led Dr. Janko to pursue a career in surgery. Years later, when his own father underwent a transplant operation, Dr. Janko committed himself to treating each patient like family.

“All doctors take a public oath to ‘do no harm,’” says Dr. Janko, “but I made another oath to myself to always go the extra mile for my patients.” 

Now, Dr. Janko is bringing that commitment to patients in northeast Georgia as a cardiothoracic surgeon with Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG) Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, which is an integral part of Georgia Heart Institute.

Matthew Janko, MD

Dr. Janko earned his medical degree from the University of Massachusetts and completed an internship in General Surgery through Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He completed a residency in Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy plus a fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio.

Dr. Janko comes to Georgia from Baptist Health Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. His main clinical interests include coronary artery surgery, aortic surgery and lung cancer surgery. He also offers minimally invasive options, including robotic surgery through keyhole incisions.

“I was attracted to NGPG and Georgia Heart Institute because they are both part of Northeast Georgia Health System, which is one of only two systems in Georgia that offers robotic heart surgery,” says Dr. Janko. “It’s a forward-thinking program that provides innovative technology and techniques that you typically find in large academic health systems, but it combines those advancements with the feel of a community hospital that treats every person like an individual.”

Dr. Janko and his wife, Kate, are expecting their first child, and they have two very active German Shorthaired Pointers named Blitz and Dash. He enjoys playing and composing music on piano, guitar and ukelele. And he also loves to travel, having visited Cuba, Europe, the Middle East and Asia in recent years.

For more information, or to schedule an appointment, go to georgiaheartinstitute.org/janko or call 770-219-7099.


About Northeast Georgia Physicians Group

Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG) brings together over 700 talented physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, midwives and other clinical staff at more than 50 locations across North Georgia. As the state’s sixth-largest physician group, we always have a practice nearby to offer you expert care in more than 40 specialties. See the full list of specialties and locations – and meet our providers – at ngpg.org.

NGPG is affiliated with Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS), a non-profit which serves more than 1 million people in 19 counties across the region. As part of NGHS, patients of NGPG have a direct connection to Northeast Georgia Medical Center’s five hospitals in Gainesville, Braselton, Winder, Dahlonega and Demorest. Learn more at nghs.com.

About Georgia Heart Institute

Georgia Heart Institute is the most forward-thinking heart and vascular program in the state and includes one of the largest cardiology practices in the region, including more than 120 clinicians seeing patients at more than a dozen locations. With a multi-disciplinary team of experts treating nearly every type of heart and vascular disease and participating in leading national research, we’re providing advanced care that ensures lasting heart health for generations. Request an appointment and learn more at georgiaheartinstitute.org.

The experts of Georgia Heart Institute also form the core of the cardiac care team at Northeast Georgia Medical Center’s five hospitals in Gainesville, Braselton, Winder, Dahlonega and Demorest. It’s all part of Northeast Georgia Health System, a non-profit which serves more than 1 million people across the region. Learn more at nghs.com.