Aurora Denver Cardiology Associates celebrates 50th anniversary

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Founder of Aurora Denver Cardiology Associates, Dr. Dennis Battock is celebrating 50 years by looking back at how the practice came to be and the impact the group has had on the Denver-metro community.

“I’m very proud of it,” said Battock. “It’s like seeing your baby grow up.”

Battock graduated from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in 1964 and went onto Kings County Hospital in New York where he completed his internship and residency. He then returned to the University of Colorado School of Medicine to complete his fellowship in cardiology and pharmacology.

He also spent two years serving in the Army at Madigan Army Medical

Center in Tacoma, Washington.

In 1973, upon returning to Denver, Battock was part of the faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Battock then decided open a solo practice while maintaining a part-time position at the university.

Originally called Aurora Community Hospital (later Humana), e Medical Center of Aurora opened in 1974.

“I decided I would like to put my feet down in Aurora,” said Battock.

Over the next few years, other doctors started to join Battock, including his boss from when he served in the military.

“At that time, there was no tertiary cardiology in Aurora and we were really getting tired of transferring patients to Rose and other downtown hospitals,” said Battock. “We really wanted to start a cardiac catheterization lab.”

Battock, along with several cardiologists and primary care physicians from around the city opened the rst cardiac catheterization lab in Aurora in 1987. e new lab was called the Colorado Heart Institute.

“What was one lab is now four labs and they’ve done well over 70,000 cases,” said Battock.

For 50 years, as the practice continues to grow and cardiology becomes more sophisticated, doctors and associates have kept up with the times.

In the past, they would put patients in the bed and possibly perform surgery on them, according to Battock. Now, with interventions with angioplasty, stents, and electrophysiology, doctors have more available to them and are able to provide more tests, services and procedures.

In 2001, an Aurora Denver cardiologist partnered with e Medical Center of Aurora and Emergency Medical Services to develop the Cardiac Alert program. is program is now the national standard of care for treating patients who are experiencing a severe heart attack.

Aurora Denver Cardiology Associates treats a multitude of conditions, such as palpitations, coronary artery disease, heart attacks, congestive heart failure and heart valve disease.

“Virtually, we do everything except for transplants at the medical center,” said Battock.

While caring for thousands of patients in Aurora, the Aurora Denver Cardiology Associates also has expanded with o ces in Denver, ornton, Castle Rock, Lone Tree and Centennial.

Although Battock retired nearly 10 years ago, he is still involved and keeps in touch.

Looking back on the 50 years, Battock is proud of what has been accomplished, “I think what we have now is unique.” this summer,” Polis said in his announcement. “We are thrilled that so many local governments across the state applied for this funding so that families, friends, and neighbors can dive right into the summer.” e grants, implemented by the state’s local a airs and labor departments, ranged from $1,000 requests to $20,000, the maximum. In the end, the state allocated mixed amounts, but exhausted almost all of the available funds, leaving just $200 to potentially allocate supplementally.. ough it won’t solve the main shortage problem, having the funding helps, said SSPRD Aquatics Manager Karl Brehm, who came down from a lifeguard stand himself to talk to Colorado Community Media.

South Suburban Parks and Recreation District (SSPRD), which reported a signi cant shortage of lifeguards earlier in the month, received $10,700 — the highestallocated amount awarded to more than a dozen districts or cities. Cities like Aurora and Boulder received the same amount.

Part of the shortage lies with the expensive cost of training lifeguards. Many prospective employees may be dissuaded by the idea of paying to obtain lifeguard certi cation.

“It will help us reach a demo- graphic that is lacking in having the funds upfront to start,” Brehm said.

“With the grant, we will defer the payment of those [lifeguard] certication costs.” e funds from the state help provide time for pools to keep hiring and training ongoing, Brehm added. He described the support as not a favor, however, but a public service.

A full-course lifeguard training at South Suburban through Red Cross costs $175. Community First Aid, CPR and AED training/blended learning costs $80. But after 75 hours of work, South Suburban reimburses course fees [excluding the $40 certication fee].

Other communities received smaller amounts. e City of ornton got $6,892, Commerce City, $1,462, and Parker, $4,499. e Town of Castle Rock received $7,873 and Brighton received $1,687.

A national lifeguard shortage affects roughly a third of public pools throughout the country. Colorado has struggled similarly. e state grant money aims to help train and retain lifeguards, which can be difcult to do these days, according to Brehm.

“I have seen, more and more, less interest in the position,” Brehm told Colorado Community Media in May. Brehm said South Suburban, like many other area pools, must hire throughout the season to try and maintain strong employee numbers.

“It hearkens to a safety situation. People want to have the pools open.

We want to have them open. But there’s a barrier that stands there,” Brehm said in response to the funding. “Having the state recognize that it is something that people want, and there’s a barrier to it, I look at it as a civic responsibility. ere is a need, and it is being met.”

The lifeguard shortage has become a crisis nationwide.

Local pools and recreation centers have worked overtime to ensure its e ects on them are minimal this season.