BOB ERVIN

Group of clinicians and hospital staff posing together in a modern medical facility hallway

A Grateful Gentleman

At 92, Bob Ervin is a gentleman who genuinely appreciates a job well done. After undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) at Doylestown Health’s Richard A. Reif Heart Institute, now the Woodall Center for Heart and Vascular Care, he recognized the people and organization who cared for him so well.

Fans of the TV series “Mad Men” are familiar with the heyday of the advertising business. Bob Ervin lived it as an executive with N.W. Ayer, a worldwide ad agency headquartered in Manhattan. His career taught him the power of communication and the value of strategic partnerships. Later in life, as a trustee for hospitals and healthcare organizations, he applied this knowledge to advance quality healthcare. When he learned that he would need TAVR surgery, Bob leveraged his past life experiences to find the best hospital and doctors to perform this critical procedure. That search led him to Doylestown Hospital and the cardiac specialists at the Woodall Center for Heart and Vascular Care.

An Advanced Valve Procedure

A minimally invasive procedure, TAVR replaces the aortic heart valve through the use of a catheter and stent, eliminating the need for open-heart surgery. TAVR is accomplished by a highly trained team of cardiothoracic surgeons, interventional cardiologists, radiologists, cardiologists, nurses, and rehabilitation professionals. TAVR also requires specially designed facilities and equipment.

Hearing is Believing

TAVR is generally available only at large university or specialty hospitals, where Bob initially planned to have his surgery. However, after attending a heart valve disease information session led by James McClurken, MD, FACS, a nationally recognized cardiothoracic surgeon practicing at the Heart Institute, Bob reconsidered. “When I heard Dr. McClurken speak, I was so impressed. He did a beautiful job with his presentation. I wanted to know more and made an appointment.” Bob later met with a team of Heart Institute surgeons and cardiologists. “I found the doctors and the experience very different from other hospitals,” said Bob. “They were so easy to talk to, listened well, were friendly and very professional and competent. I gained a lot of confidence.” Bob also discovered the hospital’s distinguished national ranking and clinical outcomes for TAVR. “That was good enough for me,” he said.

The Greatest Care

Bob’s procedure was a success, but it was the total experience that makes him smile. “I got the greatest care at each stage,” he said. “Everyone was so thorough. They knew what they were doing and the teams at every level were just wonderful.”

Dr. McClurken, and colleague Joseph Auteri, MD, FACS, who led Bob Ervin’s TAVR team, agree. “The collaboration among the Heart Institute staff is phenomenal. This is a very unique place in that we have a high level of clinical skill in specialties that are not available at most community hospitals, along with remarkable patient-centered care.”

Giving Back

Bob’s experience inspired him to write heartfelt letters of thanks to his care team, and to provide philanthropic support for hospital priorities. “I wanted to show my appreciation for everything that was done for me, and I will continue to do so,” he said. “The hospital has served the community so well, and the leadership is just as impressive as anything I’ve ever seen.”

Bob’s generosity brings the advantages of exceptional care close to home for others. “Acquiring technology and equipment is very costly,” notes Dr. McClurken. “It wouldn’t be possible for us to adopt new technologies, attract the best talent, and remain at the forefront of interventional cardiology without support from people like Bob.”

As Bob acknowledged in one of his letters, “How fortunate I am to have chosen the Heart Institute for my TAVR procedure.” Ask anyone on Bob’s care team and they would say the feeling is mutual.

Article featured in the Doylestown Health Foundation 2016 Philanthropy Report

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About Doylestown Health Foundation

As the philanthropic arm of Penn Medicine Doylestown Health, the Doylestown Health Foundation raises funds to safeguard the future of excellence in patient care and to improve the quality of life for all members of our Central Bucks County community and beyond.