The long-time Central Oregon nonprofit hospice center is currently seeking his replacement.
REDMOND, OR – Hospice of Redmond’s long-time Medical Director is retiring, and the nonprofit organization that provides end-of-life care throughout Central Oregon since 1981 is searching for his replacement.
Redmond-based private practice physician Dr. David Tretheway, M.D., has served as Hospice of Redmond Medical Director for more than two decades. While he looks forward to spending more time with his grandchildren, Dr. Tretheway will continue serving in this capacity until his replacement is found.
“The idea of Dr. Tretheway ‘hanging up his stethoscope’ and retiring from hospice has been a really tough reality to digest,” said Hospice of Redmond Executive Director Karla Stead, RN. “It’s impossible to condense into words what he has meant to this organization and hospice care throughout Central Oregon over the past 20 years. His leadership, expertise, compassion, and integrity will be greatly missed, but he leaves behind a powerful legacy of what hospice care truly is and should look like everywhere.”
Dr. Tretheway moved to Redmond in 1989 and began his tenure as Hospice of Redmond Medical Director in 1999. The past 22 years, he said, have been a fulfilling journey both personally and professionally.
“I’ve always supported hospice, with our goal of taking care of families during some of their most difficult times, bringing peace of mind and allowing them to focus on their loved one while we take care of everything else,” he said. “It’s truly rewarding to see our patients start to thrive.”
According to Jane McGuire, Operations Manager at Hospice of Redmond, Dr. Tretheway was instrumental in helping ensure the entire hospice team thrived, as well, all to the benefit of his patients.
“He has spoiled us,” said Hospice of Redmond Operations Manager Jane McGuire. “[Dr. Tretheway] is certified in hospice and palliative care, and he’s truly an expert at what he does. He’s such a gracious educator. He takes time to educate the team about disease processes we may not know about, and he really takes time with us to simplify things in ways we can all understand.”
Dr. Thretheway said he values the personal connections he’s gotten to make with hospice patients through the years. He’s especially enjoyed learning about and listening to those who have served our country in various capacities during their lifetimes.
“It’s an honor to deal with folks who have lived all these years, especially those from the Greatest Generation, our World War II veterans,” Dr. Tretheway said. “I’m humbled when I hear their stories; what an honor it is. They expose themselves in the most open, vulnerable way and share their lives with us.”
Along with serving as the Medical Director at Hospice of Redmond, Dr. Tretheway also owned and served as a physician at Desert Peaks Healthcare in Redmond, which he founded in 2016 with his daughter, Dr. Anne Killingbeck, M.D. He has stepped away from this role, as well.
“I celebrate Dr. Tretheway as he enters this new season and the time he will have with his incredible family,” Stead said. “With that in mind, I continue trying to offset my sadness about his departure with the genuine hope that I have grown wiser as a result of the past seven years I have had the privilege to work with him. Dr. Tretheway’s footprint will forever be cemented in Hospice of Redmond’s history and, likewise, as the most influential mentor of my lifetime.”
Hospice of Redmond is seeking a new Medical Director to replace Dr. Tretheway — one who, according to McGuire, is proficient in end-of-life care while also maintaining a “heart” for people and palliative care.
“We want someone who has that heart for patients and their families,” she said. “It takes a special heart to do hospice care, and we’re looking for someone who has that compassionate type of care in mind.”
To learn more about the Medical Director position with Hospice of Redmond, visit their website at hospiceofredmond.org, go “Get Involved” in the main menu and click “Careers.”
About Hospice of Redmond
Since 1981, Hospice of Redmond has been helping Central Oregonians with end-of-life care. Many of our families come to us through personal referrals because of our long-standing commitment to our community. This commitment, along with the highest quality training of our clinical staff and volunteer group, makes Hospice of Redmond the first choice for quality end-of-life care in the area. Learn more at hospiceofredmond.org.
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