Matters of the Heart
Dr. Gary Bronstein
In Shaw Heart and Vascular Center, Umpqua Valley residents have access to a regional resource for advanced care for an vast array of heart- and vein-related conditions.
Story by Dick Baltus Photos by Thomas Boyd
Since 1985, CHI Mercy Health has been committed to building a comprehensive heart program designed to ensure Umpqua Valley residents rarely need to leave the area for state-of-the-art technology, expertise and care.
Beginning in 2007, those heart services have been consolidated in the Shaw Heart and Vascular Center, which in the ensuing years has been growing in service offerings, stature and national reputation. When the center opened, Mercy’s heart team consisted of four cardiologists and one catheterization lab, used primarily for diagnosing blocked blood vessels to the heart. Today the Shaw Heart and Vascular Center team is composed of seven cardiologists, a cardiac nurse practitioner and many additional support personnel.
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 highest-performing heart centers.
The center’s general and interventional cardiology and radiology services have dramatically changed the lives of hundreds of area patients whose risk of heart attack or limb amputation has been dramatically reduced, or eliminated altogether, by non-surgical procedures to restore blood flow through blocked vessels. A comprehensive electrophysiology program also has been established to diagnose and treat abnormal heart rhythms.
Countless lives have been improved, and often saved, because of access to the care available at Shaw Heart, says director Connie Kinman. “For example, if a patient is brought to the emergency department with chest pain and has a positive EKG, we have the ability to immediately place a stent in a blocked coronary artery to reopen it. Since ‘time is muscle,’ this program has saved many lives.”
As Shaw Heart has grown so has its status on the national level. It was the first program west of Texas to earn national Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence certification from the American College of Cardiology.
Shaw Heart Center was the first program west of Texas to earn national Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence certification from the American College of Cardiology.
“The quality of care available at Shaw Heart and Vascular Center starts with people who provide that care,” says Dr. Gary Bronstein. “We have a superb cardiac care team and a highly trained support team. We also have all the required technology for up-to-date practice and a close relationship with specialized cardiac surgery, electrophysiology and congestive heart failure consultants across Oregon.”
Dr. Bronstein, board certified in cardiovascular disease, internal medicine and nuclear cardiology, has been an integral part of that team since its early days. After working in private practice in Texas for two years, Dr. Bronstein practiced at Shaw Heart for four months on a temporary basis. That’s all the longer it took to convince him to relocate to Roseburg for good.
“I loved the people, the scenery, the climate and everything else, so I decided to stay and bring my family here,” he says.
His current home is far removed from his original one. Dr. Bronstein I was born and raised in Moscow, Russia. He moved to the United States with his family in the 80s, during a period when the Russian government was allowing emigration again after it had been shut down for many years.
“My family wasn’t taking any chances (that it would be shut down again) so we moved in ’89, when I was right in the middle of medical school,” Dr. Bronstein says.
He finished his medical degree at Stony Brook School of Medicine, in Long Island, N.Y., then did his internal medicine residency at the University of Michigan, served as an attending physician at Columbia University School of Medicine and completed a cardiology fellowship at New York Medical College.
In addition to general cardiology and coronary angiography, Dr. Bronstein is trained and certified in echocardiography (cardiac ultrasound), nuclear cardiology (examination of cardiac blood flow using radiotracer markers) and management of implantable electrical devices (pacemakers and defibrillators).
In Roseburg and Shaw Heart Center, Dr. Bronstein has clearly found a home.
“I wouldn’t want to live and practice anywhere else,” he says “The patients are friendly, the hospital personnel is very supportive, and everyone is easy to deal with. It is vastly different from my prior experiences in many other places.”
Here are just a few of Dr. Bronstein’s Shaw Heart teammates:
Jean Brewer
Registered Nurse
Background: “I grew up here and got my nursing degree from UCC. I moved to Portland, got a job at St Vincent’s and received education in ICU/CCU nursing. I returned to Roseburg and became the fourth member of the Shaw Heart Center staff.”
Inspirations: “I was inspired by my mother who was employed here and from my oldest sister who also studied nursing.”
Favorite Part of Your Job: “Working with the patients. I have always tried to instill confidence by being professional and competent and using humor and music to calm my patients.”
Your Idea of a Great Day at Work: “When I can make a difference in someone else’s life, whether it be a patient or a co-worker.”
What Do You Appreciate Most About Shaw Heart? “I enjoy learning, and there is always something new to learn here.”
Best Words to Describe Shaw Heart: “Professional, intelligent, great place to work.”
Shelby Schulz
Sonographer
Background: “I grew up in Roseburg, went to Glide High School and attended Oregon Institute of Technology, where I competed in track team and got my degree in echocardiography. Prior to joining Mercy I worked at PeaceHealth in Springfield.”
Inspirations: “When I started at OIT I shadowed many different types of ultrasound. Cardiac just clicked. I think the heart is the most fascinating part of the body.”
Favorite Part of Your Job: “I love that every patient is different and brings a new challenge to each day. I also enjoy that no matter what, you can always learn something new. My co-workers are pretty great also.”
Your Idea of a Great Day at Work: “Walking out the door feeling like I made a difference, whether it’s discovering someone’s new cardiac issue or just being there for my patients, giving them someone to talk to when they might be feeling scared.”
What Do You Appreciate Most About Shaw Heart? “How friendly everyone is. From Day One, everyone has been so welcoming and helpful to me as I continue to learn and grow as a sonographer.”
Best Words to Describe Shaw Heart: “Thorough, patient- centered, friendly.”
Brittney Goodell
Registered Nurse
Background: I was born at Mercy, raised in Roseburg and graduated from the UCC nursing program in 2013. I worked as a certified nursing assistant for six years prior to obtaining my R.N. license.”
Inspirations: My oldest son, Zaydin, inspired me to start my career; however, my mother set the healthcare scene for me. She went from CNA to LPN to RN so I kind of just followed in her shoes.”
Favorite Part of Your Job: “Helping to save a life. Patients are the whole reason I do what I do. Also, we have a great group of people working here. Even with the stress of the job we find a way to make the best of our time together.”
Your Idea of a Great Day at Work: “Everything running on time. When we can follow our schedule without multiple disruptions, it makes for a better day.
What Do You Appreciate Most About Shaw Heart? “Support from co-workers and doctors, opportunities to use critical nursing skills and continue my training.”
Best Words to Describe Shaw Heart: “Challenging, gratifying and camaraderie.”
Heartfelt Giving
Shaw Heart and takes its name based foundation that has since 1989 contributed more than $3 million to CHI Mercy’s efforts to grow a state-of-the-art regional heart center.
The foundation was established by the Shaw family, which started Yellow Cab Company. The foundation’s board of directors was comprised of family members and included Gordie Iler, who by 1989 was living in Roseburg, where he would be introduced to Sister Jacquetta Taylor, Mercy’s longtime CEO.
“Gordy loved to tell the story of that first meeting,” says Lisa Platt, CEO of Mercy Foundation.
“Jacquetta started their conversation by calling him Mr. Iler. He interrupted and said, ‘You can call me Gordie,’ and so she continued, saying ‘Gordon, I want some money for our heart center.’ He said, ‘How much,’ and she said, ‘$25,000.’”
Upon Iler’s recommendation, the Shaw Foundation would give $32,500, kicking off a longtime relationship that would result in annual gifts for a wide array of technology and programs. Iler died in 2020, but his family’s name will forever be attached to the state-of-the-art heart center he was so instrumental in advancing.
