Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 4, 2021

Marc Granrud, M.D. Kootenai Clinic Hospital Medicine Tell us a bit about you and your family: I grew up in Minneapolis before attending Gonzaga University (go Zags!). After college, I joined the Peace Corps and worked as a teacher for two years in a bush village in northern Namibia. After returning, I spent several years working in biotech before going to medical school. I am joined by my wife, Elissa, who is from rural Minnesota, and two girls, Eleanor, 4, and Charlotte, 2. We just added a son in October 2021. Why did you pick your specialty? Hospital medicine offers a chance to deal with sick patients and a diverse range of pathology. What can patients expect when they first meet you? I endeavor to treat the whole patient and not view patients as just a diagnosis and/or problem. What are some of your hobbies? Any activity that lets me be outside, especially one I can do with my wife and kids, such as hiking, camping, golfing, cross-country/downhill skiing, fishing, etc. I have the misfortune of being a Minnesota sports fan and have wasted too many hours supporting the Vikings and Twins. What drew you to Kootenai Health? Ever since college I’ve wanted to come back to the Inland Northwest. The opportunity to do so while joining a program with an impressive upward trajectory was a no-brainer. What is your favorite healthy tip? Get vaccinated! Forrest Jespersen, M.D. Kootenai Clinic Lung and Asthma Tell us a bit about you and your family: My wife and I are both from the Pacific Northwest. After our years of training in other locales, we’re excited to be back, along with our son and dog. Why did you pick your specialty? I found my way into critical care medicine, as it is similar to general internal medicine. I am able to take care of patients with widely ranging pathology in high-acuity settings. I take pride in helping families understand their loved one’s illness while navigating the challenges inherent when some patients are at the end of their life. Pulmonary medicine serves as a nice counterpoint to this. I have the opportunity to take care of patients over significantly longer time horizons, allowing for a different sort of patient-doctor relationship to develop. What can patients expect when they first meet with you? Patients can expect to be heard. Too often, doctors interrupt patients as the story is being told. I really try to listen fully before asking my questions. One can also expect for me to be completely honest and forthcoming about my understanding of their disease process and strategies to aid their health. What are some of your hobbies? I love spending time outdoors, whether that be hiking, fly- fishing or mountain biking. Now that I have a baby, I can’t wait to introduce him to the great outdoors! What drew you to Kootenai Health? My wife and I were both drawn to Kootenai Health (she’s joining as a nephrologist) for a variety of reasons. First, it’s a community-owned hospital serving its community, not investors or religious entities. Second, the culture at Kootenai Health resonated with us as it’s a growing hospital looking to constantly better itself and the services available to the region. Finally, Kootenai Health recognizes that providers are members of the larger community and need to have time for being a family and recharging away from work, which is hugely important, particularly as we have a young one at home. What is your favorite healthy tip? An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. It may sound trite, but doing things such as getting all recommended vaccines, giving up cigarettes or eating a better diet are ultimately so much more effective at maintaining health than winding up in the hospital on a ventilator, having to undergo rough chemotherapies or struggling with diabetes and all the associated complications. Schedule an appointment: Call (208) 625-3555 . Tori Lennox, M.D. Kootenai Clinic Cardiovascular Surgery Tell us a bit about you and your family: I am from Oregon. I went to University of Oregon for undergraduate, then Oregon Health and Science University for medical school. I went to University of Washington in Seattle for residency/fellowship. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest. I’m very excited to get away from some of the rain and explore the Inland Northwest. 12