FryeCare Cardiology Associates - Hickory

Our Team

Ghassan Alkoutami, MD, FACC

Board-Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease and Nuclear Cardiology

Education

Medical School: Damascus University Medical School, Damascus, Syria
Residency: Internal Medicine – East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, NC
Fellowship: East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, NC

Services

Angiojet
Atherectomy
Balloon Angioplasty
Cardiac Catheterization
Cardioversion
Coronary Angiogram
Echocardiogram
Electrocardiogram
Holter Monitor
Implantable Defibrillator (ICD)
Intravascular Brachytherapy
Nuclear Stress Test
Pacemaker
Peripheral Vascular Ultrasound
Stenting
Transtelephonic Monitoring

Brian P. Hearon, MD, FACC, FACCP, FSCAI

Board-Certified in Cardiology, Internal Medicine and Interventional Cardiology

Dr. Hearon received his medical degree at the University of Mississippi. He then completed his residency at the Medical College of Ohio and his fellowship at Bowman Gray School of Medicine. Dr. Hearon then opened Hickory Cardiology Associates, which is now FryeCare Cardiology Associates. He brings more than three decades of experience to the practice. Special interests include cardiac ultrasound, transesophageal ultrasound, diagnostic cardiac catheterization, interventional catheterization and treatment of acute myocardial infarction STEMI/NSTEMI.

Education

Medical School: University of Mississippi
Residency: Internal Medicine – Medical College of Ohio Toledo, OH
Fellowship: Cardiology – Bowman Gray School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC

Services

Angiojet
Atherectomy
Balloon Angioplasty
Cardiac Catheterization
Cardioversion
Coronary Angiogram
Echocardiogram
Electrocardiogram
Holter Monitor
Implantable Defibrillator (ICD)
Intravascular Brachytherapy
Nuclear Stress Test
Pacemaker
Peripheral Vascular Ultrasound
Stenting
Transtelephonic Monitoring

R. Norman McDonald, MD, FACC

Board-Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease and Interventional Cardiology

Dr. McDonald received his undergraduate and medical degree from West Virginia University. After completing his internship, residency, and fellowship at West Virginia University Medical Center, Dr. McDonald stayed on to serve as Instructor of Medicine in the Cardiology Section. Dr. McDonald specializes in the treatment of Peripheral Vascular Disease as well as diagnostic and therapeutic cardiac catheterization.

Education

Medical School/Residency: West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
Fellowship: Cardiology – West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV

Services

Angiojet
Atherectomy
Balloon Angioplasty
Cardiac Catheterization
Cardioversion
Coronary Angiogram
Echocardiogram
Electrocardiogram
Holter Monitor
Implantable Defibrillator (ICD)
Intravascular Brachytherapy
Nuclear Stress Test
Pacemaker
Peripheral Vascular Ultrasound
Stenting
Transtelephonic Monitoring

John A. Morrison, MD, FACC

Board-Certified in Cardiovascular Disease, Nuclear Cardiology and Interventional Cardiology

Education

Medical School: University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
Residency: New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington, NC
Fellowship: Cardiology – Upstate State University of New York

Services

Angiojet
Atherectomy
Balloon Angioplasty
Cardiac Catheterization
Cardioversion
Coronary Angiogram
Echocardiogram
Electrocardiogram
Holter Monitor
Implantable Defibrillator (ICD)
Intravascular Brachytherapy
Nuclear Stress Test
Pacemaker
Peripheral Vascular Ultrasound
Stenting
Transtelephonic Monitoring

Philip A. Paspa, MD, FACC

Board-Certified in Cardiovascular Disease, Interventional Cardiology and Peripheral Vascular Interventional

Education

Medical School: State University of New York
Residency: Internal Medicine – Health Science Center at Syracuse
Fellowship: Cardiology – Health Science Center at Syracuse

Services

Angiojet
Atherectomy
Balloon Angioplasty
Cardiac Catheterization
Cardioversion
Coronary Angiogram
Echocardiogram
Electrocardiogram
Holter Monitor
Implantable Defibrillator (ICD)
Intravascular Brachytherapy
Nuclear Stress Test
Pacemaker
Peripheral Vascular Ultrasound
Stenting
Transtelephonic Monitoring

Sanjay K. Patel, MD, FACC

Board-Certified in Cardiovascular Disease and Interventional Cardiology

As a resident of Indiana, Dr. Patel received his undergraduate at DePauw University graduating with Honors Cum Laude. He then went on to earn his medical degree at the Indiana University School of Medicine. After completing his residency and cardiology fellowship, Dr. Patel received Interventional training at the Indiana Heart Institute at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis. Special interests include nuclear cardiology, cardiac ultrasound, and cardiac catheterization.

Education

Medical School: Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
Residency: Internal Medicine – Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN
Fellowship: Cardiology – Rush University/Rush Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago, IL

Services

Angiojet
Atherectomy
Balloon Angioplasty
Cardiac Catheterization
Cardioversion
Coronary Angiogram
Echocardiogram
Electrocardiogram
Holter Monitor
Implantable Defibrillator (ICD)
Intravascular Brachytherapy
Nuclear Stress Test
Pacemaker
Peripheral Vascular Ultrasound
Stenting
Transtelephonic Monitoring

Vincent J. Patrone, MD, FACC

Board-Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease and Interventional Cardiology

Dr. Vincent Patrone is a board-certified interventional cardiologist on staff at Frye Regional Medical Center. He received his medical degree at State University of New York, Upstate Medical College in Syracuse, NY and completed his residency and fellowship at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville, VA.

Dr. Patrone served as an Associate Professor of Medicine and practiced cardiology at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York for 9 years prior to coming to Hickory. He’s been practicing at the Frye Heart Center for 19 years and specializes in an expansive range of cardiovascular diagnostics and interventions, including echocardiology, pacemaker evaluation, lipid profiling and nuclear cardiology. He now practices at FryeCare Cardiology Associates providing cardiovascular care to Hickory and throughout the Unifour area.

Education

Medical School: State University of New York, Upstate Medical College, Syracuse, NY
Residency: University of Virginia Hospital, Charlottesville, VA
Fellowship: University of Virginia Hospital; Charlottesville, VA & State University of New York

Services

Angiojet
Atherectomy
Balloon Angioplasty
Cardiac Catheterization
Cardioversion
Coronary Angiogram
Echocardiogram
Electrocardiogram
Holter Monitor
Implantable Defibrillator (ICD)
Intravascular Brachytherapy
Nuclear Stress Test
Pacemaker
Peripheral Vascular Ultrasound
Stenting
Transtelephonic Monitoring

W. Curtis Pearcy, MD, FACC

Board-Certified in Cardiovascular Disease

Education

Medical School/Anesthesia Residency/Cardiology Fellowship: University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
Internal Medicine Residency: Indiana Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital, Columbia, SC
Internal Medicine Internship: University of Virginia, Roanoke, VA
Fellowship: University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC

Services

Angiojet
Atherectomy
Balloon Angioplasty
Cardiac Catheterization
Cardioversion
Coronary Angiogram
Echocardiogram
Electrocardiogram
Holter Monitor
Implantable Defibrillator (ICD)
Intravascular Brachytherapy
Nuclear Stress Test
Pacemaker
Peripheral Vascular Ultrasound
Stenting
Transtelephonic Monitoring

Pairoj Rerkpattanapipat, MD, FACP, FACC, FASE

Board-Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease and Nuclear Cardiology

Education

Medical School: Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Residency: Internal Medicine – Albert Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia, PA
Fellowship: Strong Memorial Hospital

Services

Angiojet
Atherectomy
Balloon Angioplasty
Cardiac Catheterization
Cardioversion
Coronary Angiogram
Echocardiogram
Electrocardiogram
Holter Monitor
Implantable Defibrillator (ICD)
Intravascular Brachytherapy
Nuclear Stress Test
Pacemaker
Peripheral Vascular Ultrasound
Stenting
Transtelephonic Monitoring

Richard D. Schultz, MD, FACC

Board-Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease and Interventional Cardiology

Education

Medical School: New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY
Residency: George Washington University Hospital, Washington, D.C.
Fellowship: George Washington University Hospital, Washington, D.C.

Services

Angiojet
Atherectomy
Balloon Angioplasty
Cardiac Catheterization
Cardioversion
Coronary Angiogram
Echocardiogram
Electrocardiogram
Holter Monitor
Implantable Defibrillator (ICD)
Intravascular Brachytherapy
Nuclear Stress Test
Pacemaker
Peripheral Vascular Ultrasound
Stenting
Transtelephonic Monitoring

Thomas M. Wiley, MD, FACC

Board-Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease and Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology

Dr. Wiley received his undergraduate degree from West Point and earned his medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. While in practice at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, he served as the Assistant Chief of Cardiology and the Director of Electrophysiology. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and electrophysiology and has over 10 years of experience with all aspects of electrophysiology to include ICD management and complex ablation.

Education

Medical School: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD
Residency: Walter Reed Medical Center, Washington, D.C.
Fellowship: Cardiology and Electrophysiology – Walter Reed Medical Center, Washington, D.C.

Services

Angiojet
Atherectomy
Balloon Angioplasty
Cardiac Catheterization
Cardioversion
Coronary Angiogram
Echocardiogram
Electrocardiogram
Holter Monitor
Implantable Defibrillator (ICD)
Intravascular Brachytherapy
Nuclear Stress Test
Pacemaker
Peripheral Vascular Ultrasound
Stenting
Transtelephonic Monitoring

S. Andrew Call, PA-C

Board-Certified Physician Assistant

Michelle DePaolo, PA-C

Board-Certified Physician Assistant

Michelle DePaolo grew up in Palm Harbor, Florida and received a Bachelors of Science degree at the University of Florida and a Master of Arts in Counselor Education degree at the University of South Florida. She then received her Masters in Management Studies at Emory University in Physician Assistant Studies.

Michelle completed an elective rotation in cardiology in PA school, which led her to choose her specialty. She was drawn to this specialty because of the emphasis on guideline-based medicine. After PA school, she practiced internal medicine for a year before taking her first job in cardiology.

Michelle has a special interest in the local food movement and how diet influences health. She loves to cook with her fiancé. She also enjoys gardening, growing vegetables,
traveling, hiking and playing with her dog, ChiChi.

She is a member of the Metrolina Association of Physician Assistants and the American
Academy of Physician Assistants.

Amber Fortenberry, NP

Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner

Born and raised in North Carolina, Amber has been a registered nurse in the cardiology department at Frye Regional Medical Center for 16 years. She received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Western Carolina University and her Masters in Nursing from Gardner Webb University. She has always had a special interest in cardiology and has been involved with many aspects of caring for cardiology patients. Amber brings this knowledge and experience to provide great patient care. When she is away from work, she enjoys camping, travelling to new places and spending time with family and friends.