“You can’t have a great cardiothoracic surgery program without having a great team around you. I am lucky to practice at the Heart and Vascular Institute of Eastern Kentucky, as we have assembled an amazing team of cardiac specialists. Within this team, everyone helps to create an overall atmosphere of growth and advancement.
I was drawn to PMC after seeing the medical center’s state-of-the-art equipment and facilities and feeling the warmth and hospitality of the friendly staff. I devoted many years of my career to working at large urban hospitals. Yet, after visiting PMC in 2016, I knew my next chapter would be in Pikeville, Kentucky.
In a region that experiences high death rates due to heart disease, it has been vital for PMC to invest in comprehensive heart care. What began as a small heart program has blossomed into a multi-service Heart and Vascular Institute that offers the experience, expertise and technology needed to provide comprehensive heart care in Eastern Kentucky. It has been a pleasure to be a part of that growth.”
~~Dermot P. Halpin, MD, FACS, PMC Cardiothoracic Surgeon
“I consider myself fortunate to have been born and raised in Pikeville, a tight-knit community that looks out for and cares for its own. When I left for college and then medical school, I honestly didn’t think I would be able to come back here to practice. Pikeville Medical Center, then known as Pikeville Methodist Hospital, was still a relatively small hospital that offered limited options for cardiac care. I ended up specializing in electrophysiology, a sub-specialty in heart care that is typically only offered in large medical facilities. Little did I know, the hospital was growing faster than anyone ever expected. The growth that occurred in the 15 years between my graduation from Pikeville High School and when I returned to practice electrophysiology here is mind-boggling.
There is no better feeling than caring for the people in the community that I love so dearly. As the years go by, I grow even more proud of the progression and improvements made at the hospital in which I was born. There is a saying here that perfectly captures the drive behind PMC’s growth – “Where you live should not determine IF you live.” I’m not sure who said it first, but I believe those words wholeheartedly and repeat them often to my patients.
I am proud to say I practice medicine at an award-winning medical center in my hometown. Many years ago, the Mountain Parkway that connected Pikeville to Lexington, was a one-way route AWAY from Eastern Kentucky when it came to obtaining specialty healthcare. That is no longer the case.
When it comes to cardiac care, our administration and board of directors have made it a priority to provide the advanced technology and equipment needed to offer quality specialty care and attract experts who are at the top of their field. Today, I am proud to say I am one of them. When we decide to call PMC home, we are given only one instruction – to deliver heart and vascular care that is second to none.
That mentality is what has driven Pikeville Medical Center’s growth over the past 100 years and is what will enable this history-making momentum to continue far into the future.”
~~Chase Reynolds, MD, PMC Electrophysiologist
