Surgical Associates of the CASCADES
Dr. Jack Hartley received his Medical Doctorate degree in 1980 from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in biology from USC as well. Dr. Hartley completed his General Surgery Residency at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland. Prior to SAC, Dr. Hartley worked as a general and oncologic surgeon at Mt. Hood General and Vascular Surgery.
Dr. Jack Hartley's passion for performing surgery is matched only by his love of standing waist deep in a cool river, testing the fly fishing lures he tied himself. Growing up in Southern California, Dr. Hartley admired his father, an obstetrician and avid fisherman. "My dad loved his job. He helped people through some of the most difficult and often the happiest times of their lives. He derived great satisfaction in helping families have healthy babies. I grew up with him as my role model."
The two went on many fishing trips in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where the younger Dr. Hartley fell in love with the calm of the mountains, rivers and forests. They continued going on family fishing trips even after Dr. Hartley left for college. As an undergrad at University of Southern California in the 1970s, Dr. Hartley wanted a career that was both intellectually challenging and relevant to other people's lives. Practicing medicine was the obvious choice, so he stayed at USC for medical school.
Dr. Hartley originally thought he would become an obstetrician too, but soon realized that his favorite part of being a doctor was performing surgery, something he wouldn't be able to do very much as an OBGYN. "I've always enjoyed using my hands, making things, tying flies for fishing, so surgery fit me very well. I immediately understood the precision required to be a good surgeon, how much of it depends on your ability to use your hands as instruments."
When it came time to choose a hospital for his residency, Dr. Hartley was ready to leave Southern California. He wanted to move closer to the calm of the woods he so thoroughly enjoyed on his fishing trips. Oregon Health Sciences University was one of his top choices, and he was excited to move to Portland when he was accepted in 1980.
Dr. Hartley met his wife, a nurse at OHSU, and the two soon began a family. They have three children, all outdoor enthusiasts and fishermen like their parents. After his residency, Dr. Hartley stayed at OHSU for a surgical oncology fellowship, during which he studied cancer treatment using surgery. Even though Dr. Hartley loved his work, by 1988 the Hartleys didn't love Portland as much and wanted to move to a smaller place to raise their children.
Dr. Hartley had fished Central Oregon rivers dozens of times with his family. Besides the close proximity to outdoor recreation opportunities, Dr. Hartley liked the idea of practicing medicine in a small clinic. "In a smaller town, people aren't just sent to us for an operation. Usually we have to diagnose the problem first. In a larger city, you'll get sent a patient and told he has cancer, take it out. You're almost like a technician filling an order. In a smaller setting, you do the diagnostic work to figure out what's wrong with your patient and then plan ways to fix it. I prefer being a part of the process all the way through."
The Hartleys moved to Bend in 1988 so that Dr. Hartley could join a surgical practice in Redmond. "Spending time with patients from start to finish is the most important distinction of our practice. I examine, diagnose and treat my patients, which is unusual for surgeons. We use the newest innovation in general surgery, advanced laparoscopy, which creates smaller incisions and quicker recovery. We also offer several diagnostic tests at our office so patients don't have to go to a hospital. I often hear a patient say that going to a hospital is stressful, so one of our goal is to increase our patients' comfort level by offering more services in our office."
Dr. Hartley met Dr. Land in 2003 and the Surgical Associates of the Cascades was born shortly after. The two held similar visions for practicing medicine and agreed that their office would offer high-quality care from start to finish in a comfortable setting.
Dr. Hartley understands firsthand how difficult and scary cancer can be for patients and their families. Several of his sisters are battling cancer. "Being a surgeon is more than performing surgery to me. I genuinely care about my patients lives' and well-being. People come to me for help, to get better, and that requires a lot of trust. I recognize that and prioritize having good interactions before and after a surgery so patients feel comfortable with their decisions."
