Dr. David Tretheway, MD

Medical Director

“It’s an honor to serve our community”

            If you asked me in 1999 if I thought I’d still be the Medical Director for Hospice of Redmond, I probably would’ve said no. I love what I do, both as a community physician, but also working with our hospice patients. Central Oregon is a special place, and I’m a long way from where I was born in Niagara Falls, New York, but my path has led me here and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

            After receiving my degree in Biochemistry from the University of California – Davis, I went on to the School of Pharmacy at Oregon State University, Medical School at Oregon Health and Science University and did my residency in Internal Medicine at Providence Portland Hospital. We decided to move to Redmond in 1989 where I worked at Central Oregon District Hospital, the hospital we had out here before St. Charles, and I started my own practice in 2016 called Desert Peaks Healthcare. Having my own practice is extremely rewarding getting to know all the patients we see, they become your friends. My daughter is also a physician and we own our practice together. Many people ask how it is working with my daughter; it’s a lot of fun. A fun fact about my daughter Anne and I, we were the only father-daughter duo in the history of Providence Portland Hospital to both do our residencies there. It’s a blessing having my daughter around, she brings a great deal of youthful enthusiasm to our team.

            Being Medical Director for Hospice of Redmond has also been extremely rewarding; it was the greatest compliment of my career when the staff reached out to me and said they wanted me to be their Medical Director. 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. It’s truly rewarding to see when our patients start to thrive. Having my certification in Palliative Care, we can provide comfort for many of our patients who choose to not pursue curative treatments, and I’ve seen many of them start thriving.   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. 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.

            While working in hospice care is extremely rewarding, it can be challenging as well. In the more than 20 years I’ve been Medical Director for Hospice of Redmond, I’ve cared for maybe a dozen children on hospice, which is a significant challenge to see someone whose life has been cut short. It’s incredible to see our team come together to support them and their families, to support every patient we have no matter their circumstances. We serve everyone who needs help, and we have the honor and privilege of serving every day.