Two Open-Heart Surgeons and Two Advanced Practitioners Bring Nearly 70 Years of Local Experience.
As part of a continuing focus on offering comprehensive care for patients experiencing cardiac and vascular disease across northern Nevada, Renown Health Department of Surgery and Renown Institute for Heart & Vascular Health have developed Renown’s first division of cardiothoracic surgery dedicated to heart surgery patients.
“Today, I am proud to announce cardiothoracic surgeons, Athan Roumanas, M.D., FACS, and Joseph Brandl, M.D., FACS, who have more than 45 years of combined experience caring for northern Nevadans in need of open-heart surgery, will lead this new practice at Renown,” said Anthony Slonim, M.D., Dr.PH., FACHE, President and CEO of Renown Health. “Advanced practitioners Cindy Powers and Ashley White bring another 23 years of expert care to our community and the new division of cardiothoracic surgery.”
Dr. Roumanas has 18 years of experience in northern Nevada. He is a clinical associate professor of surgery at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) and currently serves as medical director of cardiothoracic surgery for Renown Regional Medical Center.
Since 1991, Dr. Brandl has cared for our region and held numerous positions throughout the community including Renown’s director of cardiac surgery and community adjunct faculty for UNR Med.
Renown Institute for Heart & Vascular Health offers the most highly-skilled and experienced heart and vascular team and the most advanced heart center in the region. Renown has long been the region’s heart care leader – performing the area’s first open-heart surgery, angioplasty, stent and valve replacements decades ago. In 2015, Renown Regional became the first hospital in the region to offer transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), a lifesaving alternative to open-heart surgery for patients considered high-risk or inoperable.
Renown is among the nation’s top-performing hospitals for heart attack treatment and one of only 105 hospitals nationwide to receive the American College of Cardiology ACTION Registry Silver Performance Achievement Award recognizing success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients. Additionally, Renown’s Roseview, Sierra and Cardiac Intensive Care Units (ICUs) were the only ICUs in Nevada to receive the Beacon Award of Excellence from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. This distinction is based on sustained unit performance and patient outcomes that exceed national benchmarks.
As Reno’s only locally-owned, charitable, not-for-profit integrated health network, Renown continues to meet customer demand for affordable healthcare and enhanced service and access by keeping the highest levels of clinical quality care right here in our community.
Patients in need of advanced heart care can speak with their care provider about Renown Medical Group – Specialty Care, which can be reached at 775-982-6270 or visit renown.org/HeartCare.
Book an Appointment with a Renown Medical Group Cardiology Provider
Renown Health today announced that patients seeking Renown cardiology care can now conveniently schedule their appointments online. The new digital scheduling option is available for both new and existing patients, providing easier access to high-quality heart care across northern Nevada.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for Nevadans and people across the nation,” said Brian Erling, MD, MBA, president and CEO, Renown Health. “At Renown, we believe everyone deserves timely, expert care for their heart. By making it easier for patients to connect with our cardiology team, we’re helping people take proactive steps toward longer, healthier lives.”
“This new online scheduling feature is one more way we’re improving access and convenience for our community, helping people get the specialized care they need quickly and easily,” said Rahul Mediwala, MD, MBA, CEO of Renown Medical Group. “Whether a patient is managing a chronic heart condition or seeking preventative care, we want to make every step, from scheduling to treatment to follow up, as seamless and supportive as possible. Our goal is to ensure that world-class cardiology care is easy to access for every member of our community.”
“People experiencing symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, or palpitations are encouraged to first contact their primary care provider,” said Marie McCormack, MD, Division Chief, Primary Care, Renown Medical Group. “Primary care providers can evaluate symptoms, provide guidance, and if needed, refer patients to a Renown Medical Group cardiologist for an appointment for specialized heart care”
“The Renown Heart & Vascular Institute team has earned the trust and gratitude of the community with more than 18,000 patients rating their Renown Medical Group-Cardiology providers an outstanding 4.9 out of 5 stars for care,” said Darcy Ohm, Administrative Director, Cardiology, who led the project. “Now patients can schedule their cardiology appointments online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with more than 35 cardiology providers at Renown Heart & Vascular Institute locations in Reno, South Reno, Carson City and Fallon, Nevada.”
