Valley View

Valley View's Internal Medicine was proud to sponsor and attend the Parkinson Association of the Rockies’ Vitality Walk on September 13. Thank you to everyone who attended and stopped by our booth!

Valley View's Heart & Vascular Center had a great time at the Montrose BeaconFest in September ❤️ Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth and attended Dr. Frank Laws' presentation. It was a pleasure to meet you!

Please join us in welcoming Mitchell Darnell, MD, a family care provider at Roaring Fork Family Practice. He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from Florida State University College of Medicine in Tallahassee and completed his residency in family medicine at St. Mary’s Regional Hospital in Grand Junction. Prior to joining Valley View, Dr. Darnell worked as a physician in Grand Junction and clinical researcher at Hilltop Research in St. Petersburg, Florida. Dr. Darnell is a strong advocate for providing high-quality, compassionate care to rural communities, such as those found on Colorado’s Western Slope. “I was raised in a rural community, and from that, I understand the importance of community in family medicine and primary care,” he says. “I value personal relationships and the ability to hone those relationships, help folks and serve them in the role of a provider.” When working with patients, Dr. Darnell prioritizes the ability to connect with his patients outside of their medical condition. “When meeting with patients I work to understand how their experiences have shaped them, and relate to them with my own experiences,” he says. “What I know of my patients outside their chart is just as important as their medical history. When I have a deep, personal connection to my patients I can better guide their care with the expertise I have.” Dr. Darnell was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society, recognizing his compassionate medical care, and is a member of the Colorado Academy of Family Physicians, American Medical Association and American Academy of Family Physicians. Originally from the Florida Panhandle, Dr. Darnell and his wife moved to the Roaring Fork Valley in 2025. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, biking, skiing and joining the family’s dog, Rowan, a German-Shepard-Husky mix, on his adventures in the Centennial State. Click the link below to learn more about Dr. Darnell. https://lnkd.in/gXcyCgHc

Valley View’s Roaring Fork Family Practice and ValleyOrtho hit the courts for a sunny afternoon of friendly competition at the Carbondale Pickleball Courts, all in support of LiftUp. From sharp serves to big laughs, physicians, physician assistants, athletic trainers and more rallied for a cause, with the losing team pledging a donation to LiftUp’s mission to fight food insecurity.  Special thanks to Dave Reed, LiftUp’s Director of Development, for cheering the players on and congrats to Susan Cheney & Daniel Rogers for taking home the championship title! 🏆 Win or lose, everyone walked away a champion for community.

Please join us in welcoming Jen Piepenbrink, PA, a physician assistant at Valley View Emergency and After-Hours Urgent Care. She earned her Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Worcester, Massachusetts. Prior to joining Valley View, Jen held positions at Boston Children’s Hospital as an emergency medicine physician assistant; Levine Chilren’s Hospital in Charlotte as pediatric hospitalist physician assistant; US Acute Care Solutions in Charlotte as emergency medicine physician assistant and Denver Health Medical Center as emergency medicine physician assistant. Her professional interests focus on the care of children in the emergency care setting. “My passion within medicine is pediatrics, partnering with the great primary and specialty groups we have here,” she says. When working with patients, especially children, Jen prioritizes individualized care. “There is not a ‘one size fits all approach,’” she says. “When working with pediatrics, you need to care for both the patient and the parents or guardians and provide reassurance. With toddler or school-age kids it’s alleviating anxiety and with teenagers it’s important parents remain an important part of the care, but at the same time provide some autonomy if the patient needs to talk about sexual, mental or physical health.” Originally from the North Shore of Boston, Jen has been in the Roaring Fork Valley since 2025. Outside of work, she enjoys skiing in the winter, and hiking, biking and camping with her Golden Retriever, Kaia, in summer. Click the link below to learn more about Jen. https://lnkd.in/gWrjxAQ7

When it comes to liver health, early detection of disease and consistent monitoring are key. At Valley View Gastroenterology Center, Dr. Eric Gochanour has recently introduced FibroScan, a non-invasive technology to assess liver conditions like fibrosis (scarring), steatosis (fatty liver) and cirrhosis (advanced scarring)—without the need for biopsies. Valley View is the first hospital in the Roaring Fork and Eagle Valleys to offer this gold-standard technology. Click the link below to read more. https://lnkd.in/g-GBACjE

Please join us in welcoming Matt Johnson, MD, a board-certified otolaryngologist (ENT) and the founding physician of Valley View ENT with extensive experience in comprehensive adult and pediatric head and neck surgery. He earned his medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine and completed his otolaryngology residency at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Prior to joining Valley View, Dr. Johnson served as the chairman of the Department of Surgery at CHI Health Good Samaritan, a Level II trauma center in Nebraska and was the president and senior partner at ENT Physicians of Kearney. He also served as an adjunct professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where he established a rural rotation for ENT residents. This program is now a mandatory part of ENT surgical training at UNMC and a model for rural surgical education nationally. Dr. Johnson’s professional interests span the full breadth of ENT across all ages, including thyroid surgery, chronic ear and sinus disease and complex pediatric care. He also has extensive training in reconstructive and facial plastic surgery, including craniofacial and trauma reconstruction, complex skin cancer excision and reconstruction, as well as Mohs surgery reconstruction. Dr. Johnson has presented on eustachian tube dysfunction, endoscopic sinus surgery and nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and has contributed to research on frailty markers in ENT, laryngectomy, pediatric otolaryngology complications and pediatric oral mass removal. He is a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. Originally from Boulder, Colorado, Dr. Johnson returned to his home state with his family in 2025. He is married to his high-school sweetheart and is the father of two boys. Once a cat person, he has been successfully converted and now enjoys adventures with his doggie “odd couple” (a Dalmatian and a mini-Dachshund). He also enjoys cooking, paddleboarding, kayaking, hiking, camping and hard enduro dirt biking. Click the link below to learn more about Dr. Johnson. https://lnkd.in/eu9ndC2h

Dr. Bob Etemad is a multi-board-certified interventional endoscopist at the Gastrointestinal Center at Valley View, specializing in complex, minimally invasive procedures that often eliminate the need for surgery. Renowned as a pancreatic specialist, Dr. Etemad’s expertise includes treating pancreatic and bile duct disorders, gastrointestinal cancers, Barrett’s Esophagus and other advanced GI conditions.   A passionate advocate for cancer prevention and early detection, Dr. Etemad emphasizes the importance of nutrition, family history awareness and regular screenings—especially for colorectal cancer. He encourages patients with genetic risk factors to consult with specialists to ensure proactive care.   Dr. Etemad earned his medical degree from Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine, completed his internal medicine residency at the Cleveland Clinic and pursued fellowships in gastroenterology at the University of Pennsylvania and advanced endoscopy at the Medical University of South Carolina. He has held leadership roles at Jefferson University Hospital, Main Line Health and Ochsner Clinic Foundation, and has been recognized on “Best Doctors” lists in both New Orleans and Philadelphia.   Committed to equitable care, Dr. Etemad believes every patient deserves expert attention regardless of geography or financial status. “Access to specialty care should be universal,” he says. “Whether managing chronic conditions or responding to acute needs, communities must know their options.”

Please join us in welcoming Leo Simpson, MD, a board-certified interventional and heart failure cardiologist at Valley View Heart and Vascular Center, specializing in interventional and structural cardiology with specific interest in advanced heart failure, LVAD and cardiac transplant. He earned his medical degree and completed his residency at All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, completed his internal medicine residence at Emory University in Atlanta and fellowships in cardiology and interventional cardiology at Texas Heart Institute at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center in Houston, as well as a fellowship in cardiac electrophysiology at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. Before joining Valley View, Dr. Simpson was part of the Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation team at the Texas Heart Institute and Baylor College of Medicine. He is an expert in the field of percutaneously inserted left ventricular and biventricular mechanical circulatory support. He also specializes in percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure, percutaneous atrial septal defect (ASD) closure, TAVR and MitraClip, a less-invasive treatment option for certain people with aortic stenosis and mitral regurgitation, who are not suitable or are high risk candidates for open heart surgery. In addition to his clinical pursuits, Dr. Simpson’s has contributed extensively to research in the field of treatment of mechanical support, advanced heart failure and cardiac transplantation. He is co-author of multiple publications involving left ventricular assist devices and cardiomyopathy. Dr. Simpson is a member of the American Society of Echocardiography and the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the Heart Rhythm Society and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention. When working with patients, Dr. Simpson emphasizes empathy, saying, “I try my best to see the problems from my patients’ perspectives and empathize with them. I consider them my family.” Since 2025, Dr. Simpson has called the Roaring Fork Valley home, where he enjoys soccer and hiking. Click the link below to read more about Dr. Simpson. https://lnkd.in/gQGDMYsS

We’re proud to share that Valley View Hospital has received the IRIS Healthcare Air Quality Seal of Recognition—a national honor recognizing excellence in maintaining clean, safe air in surgical environments. Read more at https://lnkd.in/gJNX6pJx