Dr. Paul Natterson

A Los Angeles native, Dr. Natterson grew up equally interested in science and people. At Harvard College, he pursued an unusual combination of history and science, and credits that liberal arts foundation with shaping the way he thinks about patients: always curious about context and interested in the larger narrative. After earning his medical degree from the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, Dr. Natterson completed his internship and residency in internal medicine, followed by fellowships in cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology, all at the UCLA Center for Health Sciences.

On his cardiology rotations he saw how much his attending physicians and mentors loved what they did. Each month there were newer and better tools to treat the sickest of patients. “Cardiology is a field where, uniquely, patients most often get better. Someone can come in unbelievably sick, and a few days later, they’re discharged feeling fantastic, which is a rare experience in medicine,” says Dr. Natterson.

Dr. Natterson initially pursued cardiac electrophysiology because it was a rapidly evolving specialty where physicians were transitioning from managing arrhythmias with medication alone to using an array of new technology and procedures to treat issues at their source. While he enjoyed the collaborative teamwork and stimulation of the operating room and cath lab, Dr. Natterson found himself pulled back toward his love of connecting with people and keeping them healthy. His focus became consultative cardiology, which allowed him to spend time with each person, assess their risk, and design plans that intervened before symptoms arose.

After starting as an attending physician at UCLA, Dr. Natterson joined the Pacific Heart Institute in 1996, and he stayed at the practice for most of the next three decades. Over the course of his career, Dr. Natterson has cared for people across the full range of cardiac health, from life threatening arrhythmias and acute heart attacks to people seeking to understand and modify their cardiac and metabolic risk factors and others enthusiastically seeking cutting-edge prevention strategies. “People are increasingly interested in being proactive, changing their lifestyle, taking medicines when needed, and adopting an array of approaches with an eye towards wellness and longevity,” he says. “I love helping people feel their best.”

As Managing Partner and President of Pacific Heart Institute Dr. Natterson oversaw the practice’s affiliation with the Providence Health System and Saint John’s Health Center. He then took on a series of leadership roles there, serving as Medical Staff President, a member of the Board of Directors, and ultimately as Chief Medical Officer during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. As many of the acute issues of the pandemic became more routine, Dr. Natterson returned to his practice and the patients he loved to care for. These experiences highlighted how critical communication is for medical leaders working to create high performing teams who can deliver top quality care.

Watching health care teams collaborate without ego during the pandemic—working together, taking chances, making pivots, learning in real time—deepened his conviction that this kind of culture is both possible and essential. He subsequently trained as a mediator and coach, and co-founded RxSolve Conflict, a health care consulting practice providing hospitals and their leaders with conflict engagement training as well as mediation, facilitation, and coaching services. He believes that understanding conflict dynamics and developing a willingness to embrace–rather than avoid–difficult conversations, promotes better quality and outcomes while also creating greater provider wellness and work satisfaction.

At Atria, Dr. Natterson appreciates that the model brings together everything he believes is necessary for quality medicine: deeply collaborative care across specialties, extended time with patients, and colleagues who also believe in listening so all care is personalized for every individual.

When he sees a patient for the first time, Dr. Natterson makes a point to set aside any preconceived knowledge he has before the visit. “I have looked at your records, but I’m going to pretend I know nothing about why you’re here,” he likes to say. “It’s important that patients tell me their story in their own words.” It’s this human approach—deliberate, thorough, and genuinely open—that helps him bond with each person. Dr. Natterson views these as two-way relationships, and often shares how he strives to follow his own nutrition and exercise advice when encouraging patients on their health journeys.

Outside his practice, Dr. Natterson is a sought-after speaker on conflict training and collaborative communication for physicians and other health care leaders.

Dr. Natterson lives in Los Angeles with his wife Cara, a pediatrician, writer, consultant, and educator focusing on puberty and adolescent health and well-being. The couple prioritizes health and fitness, a passion they are proud to have passed on to their two children. Dr. Natterson rowed at Harvard, and the sport has become a family tradition: daughterTalia is a coxswain on her college team, and son Ry rows on his. The Nattersons also adore their two badly behaved dogs.