Published on February 16, 2010

Merger of Cardiology Groups to enhance heart services

Cardiology Consultants (CCPC) and the Heart Clinic (THC), both based in Medford, Oregon, have merged to become Southern Oregon Cardiology (SOC). Together, they will continue to provide the same high level of cardiac care that has made southern Oregon and northern California one of the highest rated areas in the country for quality heart care. The merger will also help to expand heart services in the region.

"Cardiology Consultants and the Heart Clinic have been colleagues, friends and competitors for the last 10 years," said Rich Bodager, CEO, SOC. "The two groups bring a lot of assets to the table, and by capitalizing on each organization's strengths the new group can offer more streamlined and better access to care for the communities that we serve."

"We are excited about this," said Todd Kotler, MD, "We have always cooperated well and it makes sense to join the two groups." Working as one will improve coverage for patients and extend heart care to a larger geographical region, Kotler added.  In addition, heart care services in Grants Pass, which already improved with the introduction of a cardiovascular lab (CVL) at Three Rivers Community Hospital in May, 2009, will continue to grow.

The merger will also lower costs, making it possible to expand services, said Bruce Patterson, MD. All SOC patients will have an electronic medical record they can take with them on CD, and office space will be freed up in the Cardiovascular Institute to make room for a new diagnostic imaging center to open this summer. "By merging we are able to provide the quality of care our patients need and that we want to provide," he said.

Working together is nothing new to the physicians of the two groups. They have had offices in the same building in Medford for the last six years and own two joint ventures. Coastal Cardiology in Brookings, Oregon, provides access to in-office cardiology services and an outpatient diagnostic and imaging center for the patients on the coast. Both cardiology groups own the facility equally.  Also, in partnership with Asante Health System and Oregon Surgical Specialist, CCPC and THC jointly operate the catheterization lab that is on the first floor of the Cardiovascular Institute building (CVISO). All four partners own an equal share.

Thanks to this cooperative effort, heart outcomes at Rogue Valley Medical Center (RVMC) are among the best in the nation, with mortality rates for heart attack at  3 percent, far below the national average of 8 percent.
(2008 Heart & Vascular Outcomes Report)

One of the best indicators for quality heart outcomes is the volume of procedures performed by the physicians. Southern Oregon Cardiology physicians perform over 700 cardiac interventions (PCIs) to open blocked arteries each year, among the highest in Oregon. National standards call for 400 PCIs a year to maintain quality.

Southern Oregon Cardiology will have 16 physicians and 2 nurse practitioners with facilities in Medford, Grants Pass and its outreach facility in Brookings. The new group will be on one common electronic medical record, GEMMS, which will bring an enhanced level of clinical effectiveness to the doctors and patients.

Patients already receiving care through CCP or THC will keep their same doctor, Bodager said.