Expanding heart care close to home

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, April 21, 2026

A pair of cardiologists are bringing new heart to WhidbeyHealth hospital with expanded medical care.

For many Whidbey Island residents with heart problems, the new services mean they won’t have to travel off the island for advanced cardiac imaging, pacemaker placement and ongoing outpatient care.

Dr. Marshall Corson, a diagnostic cardiologist, joined WhidbeyHealth six years ago after three decades at the University of Washington Medicine, primarily at Harborview Medical Center. He will be joined by Dr. Terrence Wong, a clinical cardiologist. Wong was a Navy flight surgeon early in his career and worked as an interventional cardiologist for Kaiser Foundation Hospitals in California for the last 20 years.

Corson sees great potential at WhidbeyHealth for cardiac support and is enthusiastic about the changes. He said he knows the need is real. Before coming to Whidbey, he worked in Edmonds, where more than 200 of his patients were traveling all the way from Whidbey Island to see him.

Corson emphasized that the expanded services will provide longitudinal care, which is comprehensive, relationship-based care over time. And while the hospital may not be able to provide the highest level of cardiac care, the doctors can help figure out what kind of intervention patients need and provide aftercare.

“They can start their journey with us, even if it leads to something more complex,” he said.

To help the hospital start the program, the WhidbeyHealth Foundation has been raising funds to help pay for $700,000 in essential equipment, including a C-arm X-ray unit for pacemaker placement, an ECG server, a TEE probe and rehab monitoring upgrades.

On Tuesday, Rainy Simpson, executive director of WhidbeyHealth Foundation, said $114,000 has been raised so far.

“We are deeply grateful to our early champions and invite others to join us in advancing heart care on Whidbey Island,” she said.

Donations can be made online at whidbeyhealthfoundation.org or by mail to WhidbeyHealth Foundation, P.O. Box 641, Coupeville, WA 98239.

Dr. Garth Miller, chief operating officer, said the hospital is proud to offer outpatient cardiac care, an essential and long-awaited service that will enhance clinical outcomes and make lifesaving care more accessible.

“Our team will provide comprehensive management of heart failure, arrhythmias, pacemakers, cardiac stress testing and coronary artery disease, while working closely with our hospitalists, primary care providers and emergency provider teams to ensure coordinated, high-quality care across each setting,” he said.

Whidbey Island is a graying community, with the average age above the state average. WhidbeyHealth reports that Island County experiences elevated rates of heart-related hospitalizations and a growing need for cardiovascular care.

The doctors said they plan to have a “heart failure clinic.” Corson explained that people with congestive heart failure have extra fluid retained in their bodies that sometimes can’t be managed by pills alone. Those patients need intravenous treatment, which the clinic can provide; it saves patients from having to be admitted to the hospital.

Wong said he also plans to start a “pacemaker clinic,” which he describes as the low-hanging fruit of the cardiac services. He estimated that he has placed at least 2,000 pacemakers during his career. Not only does he plan to do the low-risk procedures himself, but he hopes to train Whidbey surgeons on the specifics.

Wong also has expertise at performing transesophageal echocardiograms, which is a delicate and specialized type of ultrasound. Instead of putting the transducer on the surface of the chest, a doctor inserts a probe down the patient’s esophagus, which provides a clearer image of the heart. Wong said the procedure provides a much better way to spot heart infections or blood clots.

As part of their duties, the doctors hope to educate and update local physicians and caregivers about cardiac care.

As a former flight surgeon, Wong would like to offer his services to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. He said the younger population on base are more likely to be dealing with arrhythmias when it comes to heart problems.

Dr. Wong will begin seeing patients at the Primary Care clinic in Oak Harbor starting in May. To request an appointment, call 360-675-6648.