McKenzie-Willamette Heart Center

1460 G Street    Springfield, OR 97477    541.744.8400    Map

Skill, Technology & Experience Your Heart Needs

At McKenzie-Willamette, we take heart care seriously. That's why we offer services in a new way, with a centralized physical space that includes cardiovascular operating rooms, intensive care, and cardiology services.

Some of the advantages of this comprehensive care environment:

• Cardiologists and cardiac (heart) surgeons work in the same unit.
• Patients receive care from the same medical staff.
• Other services (e.g., rehabilitation, education services) come to the patient on the cardiovascular unit, rather than the patient having to move from one unit to another.
• Cardiologists and cardiac surgeons see the same patients at the same time.
• Communication and collaboration is improved between doctors and other medical staff
• McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center is a participant with the American College of Cardiology.
• We maintain compliance with national heart disease treatment guidelines and standards of care, as part of our continuous quality improvement program. Read more in our Heart Center Brochure.

John Armitage, M.D., with Starr-Wood Cardiothoracic Surgery Group of Eugene/Springfield, serves as the lead Cardiothoracic Surgeon.  Starr-Wood Cardiothoracic Group of Eugene/Springfield include: Tony Furnary, M.D., Storm Floten, M.D., and John Blizzard, M.D. With offices in Portland and Springfield, Starr-Wood surgeons are well-known and respected for their expertise in high-risk cardiac surgery. They have performed more than 12,000 open heart surgeries with consistently excellent outcomes, as detailed in the Society of Thoracic Surgery database.

John Armitage, M.D. Dr. Armitage received his medical degree at University of Tennessee Health Sciences , and his post graduate surgical degree at Brown University , Rhode Island .  He completed his cardiothoracic surgery residency at Hospitals of the University Health Center of Pittsburgh . His professional experience includes: the Director of Cardiovascular Surgery at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, VA, 1994-2010, and Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, at the Medical College of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, 1995-2010.

Kristen Lentell, PA Received her masters of physician assistant studies from the University of Utah. Prior to her masters studies, she attended Boise State University and obtained her bachelors in health science, with a concentration in radiological imaging. Her professional experience includes: Physician Assistant, Training Rotations, at Wee Care Pediatrics in Layton, Utah, 2008-(2011), and Physician Assistant in Colorectal Surgery at the University of Utah Medical Center in Salt Lake City, UT, September-October 2008.

To learn more about our Heart Center services or to schedule a tour, please contact us at 541.726-4789 or email wecare@mckweb.com

A full range of noninvasive procedures and tests, such as EKGs, echos and stress tests are offered at McKenzie-Willamette. 

McKenzie-Willamette launched new cardiac services when it opened a diagnostic cardiac catheterization (cath) lab in December 2004. Within weeks, the hospital was providing much-needed diagnostic services to cardiac patients throughout central Lane County.

In December 2006 the hospital opened a dedicated, comprehensive cardiovascular operating room and a post-op care unit. McKenzie-Willamette combined the operating room and post-operative care unit in one area of the hospital's first floor -- not far from the cardiac catheterization lab.

“When McKenzie-Willamette’s Board made the commitment to expand cardiovascular services,” states Dr. Jay Chappell, cardiologist, “we had the chance to create a heart center process and philosophy from the ground up.”

Patient praise for the McKenzie-Willamette Heart Center: 

Patient #1             Patient #2             Patient #3               

Our team of cardiologists includes Sam Lau, M.D., Jay Chappell, M.D., Soo Park, M.D., Craig Peck, A.N.P. and Paul Binder, PA-C

Heart Associates, 960 North 16th Street, Suite 304, Springfield, OR

PHONE: 541-744-6172         FAX: 541-744-8608

Jay Chappell, M.D, FACC; Samuel Lau, M.D. FACC; Soo Park, M.D., FACC

Craig Peck, A.N.P.; Paul Binder, PA-C

• Stent placements
• PFO and ASD closures
• PaceMaker implants
• Cardiac stress testing
• Echo cardiography
• Cardiac catheritization
• EKG interpretation

Under the medical leadership of cardiologist Jay Chappell, M.D., this group of talented physicians have performed many advanced technologies at the Heart Center. 

• 2008: Dr. Samuel Lau performed the first percutaneous closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO)in Springfield.  
• 2009: In Lane County, the COGNIS^TM cardiac resynchronization defibrillator (CRT-D) was first implanted at McKenzie-Willamette.
• 2009: Dr. Jay Chappell was the first area cardiologist to implant a pacemaker equipped with wireless technology. The device offers automatic test results and complete diagnostics that can be monitored remotely for regularly scheduled checks, and alerts the physician of any patient or device abnormalities. 

“We are always pleased to offer new technology at the McKenzie-Willamette Heart Center." Dr. Jay Chappell.