Dr. Vacca grew up in a medical family in Schenectady. His father, Dr. Joseph Vacca, was a general practitioner on Stanley Street. Years later, Dr. William Vacca’s patients recalled “little Billy” running around the waiting room.
Dr. Vacca received his undergraduate education at the College of the Holy Cross. He completed medical school at Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha Nebraska. After completing his Cardiology Fellowship at Albany Medical Center he came to Schenectady as the Medical Director of the Critical Care Area at St. Clare’s Hospital in 1978. He modernized the care in the Critical Care Area and developed an echocardiography laboratory. Dr. Vacca’s vision and planning led to the first Cardiac Rehabilitation Program in the region in 1982. Thousands of patients benefited from this program which moved from its original location on McClellan Street to a state of the art facility in the Medical Arts Building on the St. Clare’s Campus. He conceived of and help organize the Cardiac Classic, a Thanksgiving road race in Central Park in Schenectady.
Dr. Barry Lindenberg joined him at St. Clare’s in 1980 and the two of them started a Cardiology Practice together on McClellan Street in 1983.The practice initially known as Vacca and Lindenberg added Dr. Arthur Vakiener in 1985 and Dr. Manor in 1987. He worked in conjunction with the hospital to create a Wellness Center which enhanced the health of many patients for several years. They were the first Cardiology practice in the region to employ a physician assistant when Catherine Hagan joined in 1986.
Dr. Vacca completed additional training in Nuclear Cardiology in 1989 and was the first Cardiologist to read studies at St. Clare’s Hospital. He served as Chief of Medicine at that hospital from 1989 until it closed in 2008. He helped develop and participated in the Wound Care Center at St. Clare’s Hospital. He was joined in his practice by Dr. Cospito in 1994 and together they joined Cardiology Associates of Schenectady in 1996. Dr. Vacca, a life – long runner completed the New York City Marathon 14 years in a row. His healthy lifestyle was an example for all of his patients and colleagues.
Dr. Vacca has always been one of the most dedicated and compassionate physicians in the area. He was honored with the the Spirit of Healing Award from St. Clare’s Hospital in 2003. He retired from Cardiology Associates in 2018 but has remained involved in palliative care.