THE SHAW HEART AND VASCULAR CENTER ISSUE CURRENTS ...and the beat goes on DR. HOWARD FELDMAN: 10 YEARS AT MERCY’S SHAW HEART contents spring edition 2017 Dr. Howard Feldman reflects on 10 years at Shaw Heart Page 4 New online health programs Page 6 Introducing Dr. David and Hilary Oakes Page 8 Douglas County’s ‘Little Pearl’ Page 11 From Turkey to Roseburg Page 12 Child Abuse Prevention is a Community Effort Page 15 Mercy.WellFedMe.com Page 16 Spring AND THE BEAT GOES ON... from the American College of Cardiology. An annual conference Shaw Heart and Vascular Center’s medical director learns that time passes quickly when hosted by Dr. Feldman and Shaw Heart Center now attracts to you’re busy establishing one of the nation’s premier heart programs. its faculty and educational sessions some of the most respected cardiology authorities in the world. Dr. Howard Feldman leans back in his chair and quickly scans the room as if he’s trying to So 10 years may have vanished for Dr. Feldman, but not without find the hiding place where the last 10 years have gone. leaving an indelible mark on the state of heart care, and the health status of heart patients, in the region for years to come. He can’t believe it’s been that long since he arrived in Roseburg to undertake the significant challenge of developing a comprehensive heart services program at Oh, and in his spare time, he opened a winery. When the affable Mercy Medical Center. physician says he has “put roots down in this community,” he’s not kidding. There aren’t many signs of the last decade in Dr. Feldman’s small office, but there are plenty just outside the door. When he arrived in 2007, Mercy’s heart team consisted of four cardiologists and one catheterization lab, used primarily for diagnosing blocked blood “We really like it here,” vessels to the heart. Today The Shaw Heart and Vascular Center team is composed of six cardiologists, acardiac nurse practitioner and many “We like the community, additional support personnel. and we like the pace of life.” But the growth in staff only tells a small part of the story. It is the expertise they have brought that has earned Shaw Heart Center renown as a regional resource for comprehensive cardiac care and status as one of the nation’s He and his artist wife, Marjorie, purchased the Melrose-area highest-performing heart centers. winery that once housed Callahan Ridge and Champagne Creek wineries and since 2012 have been bottling malbec, Under Dr. Feldman’s leadership, the center’s interventional cardiology program has tempranillo, viognier and albarino under the FOON Winery dramatically changed the lives of hundreds of area patients whose risk of heart attack label. The origin of the name is a complicated family or limb amputation has been dramatically reduced, or eliminated altogether, by the tale best heard in person during a visit to the FOON non-surgical procedure to restore blood flow through blocked vessels. A comprehensive tasting room, which is set to open in May. electrophysiology program also has been established to diagnose and treat abnormal heart rhythms. “It’s just a small boutique winery, but it has been an enormous source of pleasure, gratification and With the addition of specialists and programs, the patient volume has continued to grow, expense,” the physician/vintner wisecracks. as more and more Douglas County residents realize they no longer have to leave the area to receive heart care as advanced as they can find in most large cities. Continued on Page 15 Shaw Heart’s status on the national level has grown as well. It was the first program Story by Dick Baltus and Photography by Chris Piesch west of Texas to earn national Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence certification 4 5 STOP smoking STAY healthy Every three years the hospital completes a community health needs assessment to determine potential under- served health needs in Douglas County. A 2016 assessment showed tobacco use to be particularly problematic. “The tobacco incidence in Douglas County is extremely high when compared to other counties,” says Price. Also particularly alarming is the 25 percent smoking rate among pregnant women, compared to the state average of 11 percent. These high numbers motivated Mercy officials to establish an initiative to reduce smoking in the area. That was the genesis of The Become An Ex Program, a free, confidential online support service designed to help smokers quit their habit. Price hopes the online smoking cessation resource will HEALTH accomplish some of the same goals as Talkspace -- removing barriers to people seeking help, such as inconvenience, transportation and cost. ONLINE talkspace.com The Become An Ex Program was started by the Truth Initiative in partnership with Mayo Clinic. Users can set up Through three new digital programs, Mercy is removing With over 1,000 licensed therapists and serving more than 500,000 Talkspace is currently in a pilot phase, while Mercy assesses its a “quit plan” tailored to their individual needs, then check in barriers that can prevent people from getting help from a clients, Talkspace is the nation’s largest online therapy service. Users effectiveness. The hospital distributed 50 access vouchers to the for support-in-the-moment via text messaging and digital Educational Service District (ESD), to help with parenting education therapy professional, quitting smoking and eating well. are matched with a licensed therapist whose specialty area best fits coaching. The Become An Ex Program helps smokers their needs, then have 24/7 access to therapy services from their and to support at-risk parents and families, and the Up2UsNow understand how triggers and habitual behavior work in computer or mobile device. violence coalition, to provide another tool to prevent incidents of order to help them better understand how the quitting Imagine you’d like to talk to a therapist, but you domestic violence and child abuse. process works. live a long distance from the nearest counseling All communication is completely secure, and clients can text, professional, or it’s the middle of the night and e-mail, or video chat with their therapist while maintaining Mercy will use outcomes data to determine the future direction Once users have successfully quit smoking, of the program. “Our best case scenario is that we find out three you need help now. complete anonymity. they continue to receive support to fight months into the process that all 50 vouchers have been distributed cravings and stay smoke free. “Seeking help for mental health issues still makes some people and used,” Price says. “If that’s the case, we are going to discuss Thanks to a new online resource being made uncomfortable,” says Kathleen Nickel, Mercy’s director of options to expand the program.” Price says Mercy plans to refer available by Mercy Medical Center, some Douglas communications. “Having access to a confidential therapy hospitalized patients who express a service may lead more people to seek help and support.” Individuals without the vouchers can still access the service now desire to stop smoking to The Become County residents who have difficulty using at talkspace.com. “It’s really pretty affordable,” Nickel says. “Most conventional in-office health services now can An Ex Program,adding to the smoking- The online model provides an important option for people who may people can receive a week of therapy service for about the cost of an cessation options now being offered to easily access professional therapy services not have been able to establish a relationship with a local therapist insurance copay.” patients. “We’ll do what we can to online as well as programs to help people want- either because of the shortage of providers in the area or the length assist them in their quest ing to quit smoking or manage their weight. of time it can take to get an appointment. The vouchers are generating interest in the early going of the pro- to stop using tobacco products.” gram, according to Marion Kotowski, violence prevention specialist at Up2UsNow. By Erin Wilds “In Douglas County we have a mental health provider shortage, so access is a real problem,” says David Price, Mercy’s director of More Health Online Articles are featured on mission services. “We’re trying to eliminate some of the barriers that The program is generating similar interest at ESD, Price adds. would normally interfere with therapy in a conventional program.” In the future, Mercy hopes to see the Talkspace project expand to the back page. reach the community as a whole, and that other local health groups consider providing the resource. BecomeAnEx.org 6 7 Rhythms of the Heart Written by Mark Adams Shaw Heart’s newest physician specializes in repairing abnormal rhythms and Photos by Kellie Trenkle other conditions related to the heart’s electrical system. With an infectious laugh, cardiologist Dr. David Oakes likens his medical specialty to a video game. As an electrophysiologist, the newest member of the Shaw Heart and Vascular Center focuses his practice on the heart’s electrical system. His job is to repair problems that patients encounter when that system isn’t working proper- ly. The fixes range from “gadgets” like pacemakers and defibrillators to three-di- mensional electronic mapping to find abnormal electrical circuits of the heart and ablation procedures to correct abnormal heart rhythms. While the stakes are a lot higher than a video game, Dr. Oakes says, “It’s all very high-tech, and it’s my passion. I find it personally and professionally rewarding. I love coming work every day.” Dr.