Joseph M. Riggio, MD

Joseph M. Riggio, MD is a member of Newport Harbor Anesthesia Consultants Medical Group (NHACMG) and specializes in anesthesia for Cardiac and Thoracic surgery. With colleagues, Dr. Aidan Raney and Dr. Pravin Shah, Dr. Riggio helped develop one of the top heart surgery programs in California. His practice at Hoag Hospital spans more than 25 years.

Dr. Riggio received his medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, Illinois in 1987 and completed his training in Anesthesiology at UCLA Medical School in Los Angeles, California, before joining the Anesthesiology Department at Hoag Hospital.

Since joining Hoag Hospital, Dr. Riggio has participated in all aspects of Anesthesia care. He has served on the Board of Directors of NHACMG for more than ten years and has also served as President of NHACMG.

Responding to the special requirements of a changing practice in the mid 90’s, Dr. Riggio took the initiative to guide the selective Cardiac Anesthesia group as the Hoag Heart Valve Institute ascended to prominence in Heart Valve Surgery. In 2008, Dr. Riggio received special certification in Advanced Perioperative Transesophageal Echocardiography from the National Board of Echocardiography. Under his leadership, the cardiovascular anesthesia group, with its special expertise in Intraoperative Echocardiography, and understanding of heart valve surgery, is considered one of the best in California.

As faculty, Dr. Riggio participated in the Heart Valve Institute’s International Valve Symposium in 2007 and well as all Advanced Echo Annual Symposiums directed by Dr. Pravin Shah and Dr. Natessa Pandian. He is also a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and an active member of the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists (SCA).