Stacey Titus • January 17, 2024
Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health) HCM Program – Grand Rapids, Michigan

The Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Program at Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health) in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was founded in 2013 and recognized as an HCMA Center of Excellence in 2017. 

  • The multidisciplinary team includes:
  • Dr. David Fermin – Program Director
  • Dr. Jeff Decker – Cardiovascular Imaging
  • Dr. Richard McNamara – Interventional Cardiology
  • Lori Singer – Physician Assistant
  • Jackie Sporte and Paula Droste – HCM Specialty Nurses
  • Dr. Alfred Albano and Dr. Nagib Chalfoun – Cardiac Electrophysiologists
  • Dr. Tomasz Timek – Cardiac surgeon
  • Dr. Stanley Sedore – Pediatric Cardiologist
  • Bethany Grysko – Genetic Counselor
  • Doreen McGrath and Justin Joseff – Social Workers

The Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Program at Corewell Health offers a “comprehensive patient-centered approach to diagnosis, education, and treatment, bringing our resources around our patients wherever possible. We facilitate family screening of HCM patients along with our pediatric cardiology clinic. Our echocardiography lab offers multiple regional locations to allow patients to remain in their community for much of their testing. Our approach has also evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic to include virtual visits with providers and our genetic counselor. Our more advanced services include cardiac MRI, heart catheterization and electrophysiology labs, as well as advanced heart failure therapies including heart transplant.”

Program Director  Dr. David Fermin says, “Our clinic cares for 1028 HCM patients and their families. Our cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Timek, performed 14 septal myectomy surgeries last year, contributing to an increase in our patients’ quality of life. Excitingly, we participated in groundbreaking clinical trials for Mavacamten, including EXPLORER-HCM, MAVA-LTE and VALOR-HCM, enrolling several of our patients. We continue our involvement in clinical trials of both Mavacamten and Aficamten for patients with both obstructive and nonobstructive HCM.

We have enjoyed teaming with the HCMA to enhance the lives of those with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. “

The Corewell Health HCM Team recently participated in our BigHearted Warriors Unite Webinar Series. If you would like to watch this free education webinar, please visit  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo7U7jZUeIg&t=106s.  

For more information on Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health) HCM Program in Grand Rapids, Michigan, please visit:  https://4hcm.org/corewell/


For more information on all HCMA-recognized centers of excellence, please visit  https://4hcm.org/center-of-excellence/.

HCMA Blog

Medical Management May

April 30, 2025
Medical Management means using medicines and other non-invasive therapies to relieve symptoms. It's exciting that new treatments for HCM are being studied and that the FDA approved Camzyos in 2022! HCM can cause various symptoms depending on how stiff the heart is, how much scarring (fibrosis) there is, and whether there is obstruction. Some people have no noticeable symptoms. Common symptoms are chest pain/pressure, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, fatigue, palpitations, and brain fog. Syncope (fainting) is dramatic but not as common as the other symptoms. Medications are the first-line treatment for symptoms of HCM. If patients can't take one class of medication, they can try a medication from a different class. Here are some medications used to treat HCM and what they're for: Beta Blockers - make your heart beat slower and relax better. They allow the heart to fill more completely between beats. They can lower blood pressure and relieve symptoms. Calcium Channel Blockers - used to lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate. May reduce symptoms from obstruction in HCM. Myosin Inhibitors - cause the heart to beat with less force. They may reduce obstruction and septal thickness in some patients. Camzyos (mavacamten) is the first of this class of medication. For more information, click HERE . Antiarrhythmics - help to restore normal rhythm in the heart. Blood Thinners - anticoagulants and anti-platelets make it harder for blood to clot. They are prescribed to reduce the risk of stroke. This risk is higher in patients with afib, aflutter, and artificial heart valves. Diuretics , or "water pills," help the kidneys get rid of extra water and salt, reducing swelling in the body. Sodium Channel Blockers - may reduce gradient in obstructive HCM and can treat chest pain. Some also act as antiarrhythmics. Antibiotics - treat or prevent bacterial infections. In HCM, they may be given before dental work to prevent infective endocarditis. To learn more and see the side effects of these medications, click HERE .
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