Adventist Health Portland and Northwest Cardiovascular Institute (NWCI), including cardiologists Eugene Spear, MD, and Krystal Samuel, DO, have signed a non-binding letter of intent to partner together to provide cardiac services in Yamhill County. The agreement is expected to take effect July 3, 2017.
Doctors Spear and Samuel practice at the NWCI clinic located on the campus of Willamette Valley Medical Center and are part of 10 NWCI cardiologists joining Adventist Health’s Northwest Regional Heart and Vascular service line. While they will be employed through Adventist Health Portland, both doctors will stay in McMinnville to continue serving the needs of patients in Yamhill County.
“This is a terrific opportunity that will allow us to expand our service line and bring specialty cardiac services to McMinnville and the rest of the county,” said Dr. Spear. “We’re looking forward to this new partnership and the benefits it will bring to our patients and the community. Our mission is to provide high-quality, patient-centered cardiac services. Partnering with Adventist Health will better allow us to do that.”
Adventist Health Portland and NWCI have been intricately linked for the last 25 years, working together to develop a regional cardiovascular program with services on the Oregon Coast and in Southeast Washington. Recognizing the benefits of the relationship, the two chose to join under shared leadership to further expand the program and continue improving the heart health of the communities they serve.
This partnership will expand care in McMinnville and the surrounding communities by providing additional cardiology services, including care for heart rhythm disorders. A key benefit of the new partnership will be increased collaboration between hospital-based cardiac care and the physician group, which will streamline care for patients throughout the Portland metro area and the Willamette Valley.