Southcoast Health Heart & Vascular is proud to have earned an elite three-star rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for its cardiac surgery program. This recognition denotes the highest level of quality, which places Southcoast Health among the best heart surgery programs in the United States and Canada. 

There’s a good reason for that level of distinction: the extraordinary team of talented, caring professionals who treat their patients like they would their own family. From the nurses to NPs, PAs to surgeons and everyone in between, this dedicated team has touched – and saved – countless lives.

Few people know that better than Ellen Rawding, RN, who has been a member of the team since the cardiac surgery program began in 2002. In fact, she was an integral part of starting the program at Southcoast Health.

“I served 11 years as a hospital corpsman in the Navy and later worked as an orthopedic and X-ray tech at Newport Hospital,” Ellen explains. But her heart was still in the OR. “The hospital had a nursing program, so I worked days and went to nursing school at night.”

As luck would have it, Ellen had friends in the OR at Charlton Memorial Hospital. “They told me they were always looking for OR nurses, so I applied after graduation,” Ellen said. “I started in January 2000 in the old operating room in the hospital basement. When they opened the new OR, they had two rooms for open heart surgery – I knew that was where I wanted to be.”

Those two rooms were the beginning of the cardiac surgery program at Southcoast Health, and with no instrumentation, they were literally starting from the ground up. Ellen interviewed for the program and was accepted. Along with two other nurses, she went to Tufts (formerly New England Medical Center) in Boston to train in cardiac surgery.

“The doctors there were tough on us,” Ellen recalls. “But that was a good thing. It made us tougher, and we were anxious to get back to Charlton Memorial and get started.” Alongside their new surgeons and their manager and mentor, Judith Baulier, who set up everything for the program, the cardiac surgery team was officially underway.

Today, Ellen, Judy and anesthesiologist Larry Thiesen, MD are the only three left from that original group. But one thing remains the same: the unity, commitment and compassion of the team. “We’re what’s called a ‘closed team’ – all we do is cardiac care. It’s what we’re trained for. We’re also a close-knit team; we’re like a family. When it comes down to it, we love each other and the number-one priority is the patient.”

It’s why Ellen stayed at Southcoast Health for so long. “I love my patients. I have about five minutes to interview a patient with their family before I take them for what may be one of the biggest surgeries they’ll ever have. It’s an emotional time, and I often use humor to put them at ease – that’s my forte. I want them to know they’re in good hands with people who care.”

And rest assured, they are in good hands. With Iraklis Gerogiannis, MD, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery, at the helm – along with cardiovascular surgeons Peter Lee, MD and Jacob Kriegel, MD – this highly experienced and dedicated team performs more than 300 open heart surgeries each year. Since the program’s inception, more than 5,000 patients have benefited from these lifesaving procedures.

“It’s a strong team,” says Dr. Gerogiannis. “And a strong team is essential for optimal heart health by bringing together specialized skills, experiences and coordination to provide the best care before, during and after surgery.”

It’s no wonder Southcoast Health Heart & Vascular has won so many awards. There’s a lot to be proud of, but Ellen says she’s the lucky one. “I’m so proud to have been a part of this program and to work with this team of amazing men and women.”

After nearly 25 years, Ellen has retired. Her last day was April 1, which is fitting as it was also the date of the very first open-heart surgery at Southcoast Health. Ellen plans to spend time traveling the country with her wife and their dog in their camper. “It’s the best way to travel! You can go wherever you want,” she says. When asked if her retirement is bittersweet, she adds, “It’s going to be hard to leave my patients, my work family. We worked hard, but we had fun too – I’ll miss them all!”