St. Charles Cardiac Care Gets Major Upgrade with New Labs, Tech

The new electrophysiology labs at St. Charles Bend allow physicians the capability to perform Pulse Field Ablations, a minimally invasive procedure for patients with irregular heart rhythms.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 5:41pm

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St. Charles Health System has transformed cardiology care for patients in Central Oregon with the opening of new and updated electrophysiology (EP) labs and a cardiac catheterization (cath) lab at St. Charles Bend. The $1.5 million investment from St. Charles Foundation has allowed physicians to perform more advanced procedures, including Pulse Field Ablations, and improve quality of life for more cardiac patients.

Why it matters

The new labs and technology upgrades at St. Charles Bend enable the health system to treat more patients and offer more state-of-the-art cardiac services, allowing more Central Oregon residents to receive advanced heart care close to home rather than having to travel out of the area.

The details

The new electrophysiology labs at St. Charles Bend allow physicians to perform Pulse Field Ablations (PFAs), a minimally invasive treatment for patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib). PFAs use non-thermal electric pulses to selectively destroy heart tissue, which provides improved recovery and lower risk compared to older thermal ablation methods. More than 285 patients have received a PFA in the new labs, a procedure that patients previously had to travel out of the area to receive.

  • The $1.5 million investment from St. Charles Foundation to fund the new labs and technology upgrades was made in 2025.
  • The number of electrophysiology procedures performed at St. Charles Bend has increased 27% from the previous year.

The players

St. Charles Health System

A private, nonprofit Oregon corporation and the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 5,000 caregivers. St. Charles owns and operates hospitals and clinics in Bend, Madras, Prineville, and Redmond.

St. Charles Foundation

The foundation that provided the $1.5 million investment to fund the new electrophysiology labs and cardiac technology upgrades at St. Charles Bend.

Dr. Chris Lewis

A cardiac electrophysiologist with St. Charles who specializes in treating irregular heart rhythms.

Lesley Jones Larson

The cardiac service line administrator at St. Charles.

Jenny O'Bryan

The executive director of the St. Charles Foundation.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Lesley Jones Larson, cardiac service line administrator at St. Charles

“This is a minimally invasive treatment for patients who are experiencing atrial fibrillation (AFib). It uses non-thermal electric pulses to selectively destroy heart tissue. 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.”

— Dr. Chris Lewis, cardiac electrophysiologist with St. Charles

“The investment in this cardiology technology marks one of the largest projects funded by St. Charles Foundation in 2025. 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.”

— Jenny O'Bryan, executive director of St. Charles Foundation

What’s next

St. Charles plans to continue expanding its cardiac services and technology offerings to meet the growing needs of the Central Oregon community.

The takeaway

The major upgrades to St. Charles' cardiac care facilities and technology demonstrate the health system's commitment to providing advanced, innovative heart care close to home for patients in Central Oregon.