Your Partners In Cardiac Care

Minnesota Heart Clinic is a nationally recognized leader in providing a full continuum of cardiology services for our community. As a patient focused organization, we are dedicated to achieving the highest standard offered in cardiology services. To that end, we strive to maintain and to enhance care by increasing our knowledge base and continuously improving our skills.

We recognize and appreciate the relationship between the patient and the primary care physician. Minnesota Heart Clinic is committed to better serving our patients, their families and their referring physician by providing the best clinical care and information available, while being responsive to their needs.

Our Staff

Physicians

Stephen C. Battista, M.D., FACC Cardiology

Dr. Battista earned his medical degree at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston. He has completed two fellowships-one in cardiology at the University of Massachusetts and the other in interventional cardiology at the University of Minnesota. He has Board Certification in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Diseases and Special Board Certification in Interventional Cardiology. He has a special interest in complex angioplasty and preventative cardiology.

Norman P. Chapel, M.D., FACC Cardiology

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Dr. Chapel completed a cardiology fellowship at the University of Minnesota. He has been in practice in the Twin Cities since 1983 and has a special interest in clinical cardiology and cardiac imaging with an emphasis on echocardiography and nuclear cardiology.

Gary H. Cramer, M.D., FACC Cardiology

Dr. Cramer is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease and Nuclear Cardiology. He graduated from Buffalo Medical School Internship and Residency at Vanderbilt University, and Cardiology Fellowship at the University of New Mexico. He has a special interest in non-invasive evaluation of cardiac and vascular problems. Improving quality of life is the most satisfying part of medicine for him.

C. Jennifer Dankle, D.O.

Dr. Dankle earned her medical degree at Des Moines University, Des Moines, Iowa. She completed Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Minnesota and she is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular disease. She completed a Cardiovascular Fellowship at Aurora-Sinai/University of Wisconsin affiliate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her focus is in the area of non-invasive cardiology including echocardiography and nuclear medicine.

Candace D. Dick, M.D., FACC Cardiology

A graduate of the University of Minnesota Medical School, Dr. Dick completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Chicago and a cardiology fellowship at the University of Minnesota. She has a special interest in echocardiography and previously served as director of the Echocardiography Laboratory at Hennepin County Medical Center.

James W. Erdahl, M.D., FACC Cardiology

Following undergraduate education at St. Olaf College, Dr. Erdahl received his medical degree from Hahnehamann Medical College in Philadelphia and completed a cardiology fellowship at the University of Minnesota. His special interests include coronary artery disease, acute myocardial infarction and stress echocardiography and preventive cardiology.

Eric R. Ernst, M.D., FACC Cardiology

Dr. Ernst completed cardiology fellowship at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison. He received his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin Medical School and completed his residency in internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. As a non-invasive cardiologist, he focuses on nuclear cardiology and echocardiography, and is the Medical Director of the C.O.R.E. Clinic at Minnesota Heart Clinic, which specializes in treatment of patients with congestive heart failure. He is board certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular diseases.

Karl W. Foster-Smith, M.D., FACC Cardiology

A native of Ireland, Dr. Foster-Smith graduated from University College Galway, followed by a residency in Dublin and internal medicine residency at Hennepin County Medical Center. After completing fellowships in cardiology and interventional cardiology at the Mayo Clinic, he received a TEE/Advanced Echo diploma from Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. Previously he was a teaching cardiologist at the University of Vermont, Burlington. He has Board Certification in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Diseases and Special Board Certification in Interventional Cardiology. Dr. Foster-Smith specializes in interventional cardiology and echocardiography.

Steven M. Heifetz, M.D., FACC Cardiology

Dr. Heifetz trained at UCLA, the Medical College of Wisconsin and the University of Minnesota. He has Board Certification in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Diseases and Special Board Certification in Interventional Cardiology. He has a special interest in exercise physiology, heart failure, and angioplasty. He is a recognized expert in echocardiography, stress echo and transesophageal echocardigraphy.

Gregory A. Helmer, M.D., FACC Cardiology

Dr. Helmer is a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School. He completed fellowships in cardiology at the University of California, San Diego, and in interventional cardiology at the University of Minnesota Hospital. He has Board Certification in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Diseases and Special Board Certification in Interventional Cardiology. Co-Director of Medical Research, Dr. Helmer's special interest include cardiovascular CT, MRI, interventional cardiology, and angiogenesis for collateral vessel development.

Brian H. Ip, M.D., FACC Cardiology

Dr. Ip received his medical degree from the University of London, England. As a specialist in cardiac imaging, he completed his fellowship in nuclear cardiology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons at the St. Luke's - Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York. He also completed a fellowship in echocardiography at The Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Previously, he had served as an attending physician at the Hong Kong Baptist Hospital.

Robert A. Ketroser, M.D., FACC Cardiology

Dr. Ketroser completed both his undergraduate and medical education at the University of Minnesota with his residency at Hennepin County Medical Center and fellowship at the University of Rochester, New York. He is the Director of the Preventative Cardiology Clinic which focuses on risk factor modification including: Lipid management, smoking cessation, obesity and hypertension.

David D. Laxson, M.D., FACC, FAHA Cardiology

Dr. Laxson completed fellowships in cardiology and interventional cardiology at the University of Minnesota. He has Board Certification in Internal Medicine, in Cardiovascular Diseases, and Special Board Certification in Interventional Cardiology. Dr. Laxson has special interests in interventional cardiology and clinical cardiololgy research. He is the Medical Director for Research and the Medical Director at Minnesota Heart Clinic. He is also the Director of the Cath Lab at Fairview Southdale Hospital.

Brian T. Lew, M.D., FACC

Dr. Lew was born in California and was an undergraduate at the California Institute of Technology. He then attended Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO. After completing internal medicine and cardiology training at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Lew did a year of coronary and peripheral angioplasty training at St. Louis University. He specializes in coronary and peripheral interventions.

Huagui Li, M.D., Ph.D., FACC Cardiology

Dr. Li completed his training in clinical cardiac electrophysiology and cardiac research at the University of Western Ontario, where he received his Ph.D. degree. He was on the faculty of Creighton University Medical School until he joined Minnesota Heart Clinic in July 2006. Dr. Li is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease and has special board certification in clinical cardiac electrophysiology. In addition to general cardiology, Dr. Li specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias including ablations, electrophysiology studies and cardiac rhythm management device implantation. Dr. Li is also active in pursuing clinical research and has authored many research papers.

Quan Pham, M.D.

Dr. Pham completed his undergraduate, medical education, and residency at the University of Minnesota. He underwent postgraduate training in Cardiovascular Diseases and Electrophysiology at Case Western Reserve University, MetroHealth campus at Cleveland, Ohio. Apart from Interventional Electrophysiology, Dr. Pham has a special interest in T-wave alternans and mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias.

Dominic A. Plucinski, M.D., FACC

Dr. Plucinski earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois in Chicago. He completed a residency in Internal Medicine and fellowships in Cardiovascular Diseases and Interventional Cardiology at Northwestern University. After performing coronary angiography and intervention for 25 years, he has now focused on non-invasive clinical cardiology, including imaging. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiology, with a special qualification in Intervention Cardiology and in Nuclear Cardiology. During his career he has particularly dedicated himself to the management and prevention of acute myocardial infarction.

Michael G. Thurmes, M.D., FACC Cardiology

Dr. Thurmes earned his undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of Minnesota and completed a fellowship at Loyola University Medical Center in Illinois. He has Board Certification in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Diseases and Special Board Certification in Interventional Cardiology. He takes special interest in transesophageal echo (TEE) and interventional cardiology. Dr. Thurmes is the President of Minnesota Heart Clinic.

Tushar R. Vora, M.D., FACC Cardiology

Dr. Vora received his medical degree and post-graduate training in Internal medicine from the University of Mumbai, India. He later completed a residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Cardiology from the University at Buffalo, State University of New York. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Nuclear Cardiology. Dr. Vora's special interests include clinical cardiology, heart failure and cardiac imaging with an emphasis on echocardiography, TEE and nuclear cardiology.

Other Providers

Rochelle E. Curtis, PA-C

Rochelle graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Natural Science from the College of Saint Benedict, Saint Joseph, MN. She earned her degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Augsburg College in Minneapolis, MN. She is currently pursuing her Masters of Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Nebraska. Rochelle sees patients in general cardiology with a special interest in heart failure management.

Jennifer B. Galang, MSN, C.N.P.

Jennifer received her Bachelor's of Nursing at Brockport State University in New York state. She then received her Master's of Nursing at the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh. She is a Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner. She sees general cardiology patients with special interests in cholesterol management, blood pressure management and facilitating risk factor modifications.

Amy N. Kadletz, MSN, C.N.P

Amy practiced as a critical care nurse in Michigan before pursuing her Masters of Science in nursing at Northern Michigan University. She is certified as a family nurse practitioner. She has been with Minnesota Heart Clinic since 2000. Her expertise is in arrhythmia therapy and cardiomyopathy with an emphasis in biventricular pacing for heart failure patients. In addition to being an EP nurse practitioner, she practices in the heart failure clinic (C.O.R.E) at Minnesota Heart Clinic.

Tara J. Konat, MHS, PA-C

Tara Konat completed her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Minnesota. She received her Master of Health Sciences and Physician Assistant Certification from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Ms. Konat worked at an interventional cardiology clinic in Florida before returning to her home state of Minnesota. She cares for general cardiology patients, with special interest in preventative medicine, coronary artery disease and women's health.

DeAnn Thomas-Kvidera, MSN, CNP

Deann has been employed at Minnesota Heart Clinic as a Registered Nurse from August 1995 until September 2004 at which point her role changed to an Adult Nurse Practitioner. DeAnn received her Degree in Nursing in 1976 from Abbott-Northwestern Hospital School of Nursing, Minneapolis. In 1987, she completed her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing through the Minnesota State University, Mankato. In May 2004, DeAnn completed her Master of Science Degree in Nursing with specialization as an Adult Nurse Practitioner through the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.  Her multiple years of nursing experience as a cardiovascular nurse supports her interest in caring for all general cardiology patients as a Certified Nurse Practitioner at Minnesota Heart Clinic.

Shari C. Madson, M.S.N, CNP

Shari received her Associate Degree in Nursing in 1985 from St. Mary's Junior College in Minneapolis. In 1999, she completed her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing through Bethel College in Arden Hills. In May 2005, she completed her Master of Science Degree in Nursing with specialization in Adult Nurse Practitioner. Shari has worked for Minnesota Heart Clinic as a Registered Nurse since 1993. Her interests are caring for general cardiology patients.

Kristine A. Mannchen MSN, RN-CNP

Kris Mannchen earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. Following 12 years of critical care nursing; Kris received a graduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and earned a Masters in Nursing/Nurse Practitioner degree. She is Program Director of the C.O.R.E Clinic (Congestive Heart Failure Clinic). Her specialty is heart failure management.

June E. Smith, M.S.N., CNP

As a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, June went on to receive her Masters in Nursing at Arizona State University. She is board certified as an Adult Nurse Practitioner since 1997. June sees general cardiology patients with special interest in coronary artery disease and preventative cardiology.

Michelle Theobald, PA-C

Michelle completed her pre-medical training and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Minnesota. Following her undergraduate education, Michelle received a degree in Physician Assistant Studies from the University of South Dakota's School of Medicine. Ms. Theobald obtained her Master's in Science in Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Nebraska. She sees general cardiology patients with special interests in preventative cardiology, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease.