St. Charles Foundation invests $1.5M in cardiac care facilities upgrade

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- St. Charles Foundation has invested $1.5 million to upgrade cardiac care facilities at St. Charles Bend, including the opening of new electrophysiology and cardiac catheterization labs. The investment allows physicians to perform advanced procedures and has resulted in a 27% increase in electrophysiology treatments over the past year.

The upgrades focus on improving care for patients with irregular heart rhythms by providing state-of-the-art technology close to home. Since the opening of the new labs, more than 285 patients have received Pulse Field Ablation, a procedure that previously required residents to travel outside of Central Oregon.

Lesley Jones Larson, cardiac service line administrator at St. Charles, said the updates expand the hospital's capacity for specialized care. "Thanks to these updates, we can treat more patients and offer more state-of-the art services, allowing more cardiac patients to keep their care close to home," Larson said.

One of the primary advancements in the new labs is the introduction of Pulse Field Ablation, or PFA. This minimally invasive treatment is designed for patients experiencing atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib. Dr. Chris Lewis, a cardiac electrophysiologist at St. Charles, explained that the procedure uses non-thermal electric pulses to selectively destroy heart tissue.

Lewis noted that PFA offers safety benefits compared to older thermal ablation methods. "This is a significant advantage over older thermal ablation energies, as there is improved recovery and significantly lower risk to injuring structures surrounding the heart," Lewis said. "Ultimately, this allows us to perform safer procedures and offer atrial fibrillation ablation treatments to a larger group of patients."

The project represents one of the largest funding efforts by the St. Charles Foundation in 2025. Jenny O'Bryan, executive director of the St. Charles Foundation, said the investment was a priority for the organization's supporters. "This effort means a great deal to our donors, as it allows St. Charles to be an early adopter of technology that is helping transform cardiac care for Central Oregonians," O'Bryan said.

St. Charles Health System is a private, nonprofit corporation headquartered in Bend. It is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 5,000 caregivers and a medical staff of more than 400 active members. The system operates hospitals in Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond, along with clinics in La Pine and Sisters.