Many people first discover they suffer from heart disease either in the emergency room (ER) or from their general practitioner (GP) primary care physician.

The ER usually has a cardiologist on staff, or on call, and during your hospital stay you will be under the care of this cardiologist. After you are discharged, you will be told to visit a cardiologist for further testing and medical care. Or, perhaps your primary care GP suggested that you visit a cardiac specialist after the results of a checkup or general cardiac health tests results show abnormalities in the way your heart functions.

Most HMOs and PPOs, and other health insurance policies, require that you receive a referral from your primacy care GP before the HMO/PPO will cover any medical expenses incurred by a specialist. Your specific policy may differ, but many people make the decision of which cardiologist to use with the aid of their primary care general practitioner.

There are many variables that might influence which cardiologist is right for you.

First, make sure you have many choices. Don't just take the first cardiologist suggested to you. Your options may be limited by your insurance policy, but you should still have at 2-3 options available to you when you choose your cardiac specialist.

Convenience. Assuming everything else is equal.

Where is the Doctor's office?

You may be making frequent trips to visit your cardiologist, so you should evaluate the benefits of choosing a cardiac specialist close to you. Assuming all other factors are equal, convenience will mean a lot. For many cardiac outpatient procedures, you will need to be driven to and from the doctor's office or hospital. Choosing a conveniently located physician will keep you from stressing out about the trips to the doctor.

In which hospitals does the doctor perform surgery?

Many cardiac specialists will perform surgery in only one or two hospitals. Usually, this is the hospital(s) closest to the doctor's office. Actually, most cardiologists have offices in the "medical parks" or office buildings very close to the preferred hospital(s).

Qualifications

Professional Organizations and Awards

You will need to know the professional organizations the cardiac specialist you choose belongs to. Ask for information about the professional organizations to which the physician belongs. This list could include the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, American, or others. Has the cardiologist won any awards from these organizations or others?

Which degrees has the doctor earned?

There are two main schools of medicine, i.e. Medical Doctor (MD) and Doctor of Osteopath (DO). Additionally, there are several cardiac surgery specialties, i.e. cardiothoracic, cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary, etc. You should ask for a detailed list of the education and advanced degrees of any cardiac specialist you are considering. Additionally, many cardiac specialists are on the cutting edge of research and you can ask for a list of their published journal articles.

Background

Medical Background Check

You should perform a check with your state medical licensing board to discover any malpractice claims or other sanctions that may have been levied against any of your cardiac specialist candidates.

Ask others about your candidates.

Inquire at the hospital or among other doctors and staff about the knowledge and ability your "short list" of candidates. Talk to friends and family in the area who may know any of these physicians, or have friends that have used the doctor before. Try to talk to any previous patients of the cardiac specialist.

Personality:

Bedside Manner

You may wish to schedule a few minutes to meet the doctor before you finalize your decision. You should choose a doctor that will answer all your questions. Some well respected cardiac specialists may not have the best interpersonal skills. This may or may not be that important to you. Many people would rather have the most qualified cardiothoracic surgeon than a less qualified "Patch Adams" funny and personable doctor. You may wish to have a friendly cardiologist, but then again this may not matter to you. However, the cardiac specialist must be patient and answer all your questions and explain everything to your satisfaction.

Access to Resources.

Other Doctors in the Office

While all cardiac surgeons and cardiologists are located in a "Doctor's Office," there can be many differences in the resources available through the office. For example, some cardiac specialists join together and form cardiac care centers to handle all aspects of a heart patient's care. For instance, in the same office there will be 10-15 cardiac specialists in various areas that can be consulted on your case with ease. This may be easier for you than visiting several different doctors' offices when you need different specialists.

Other Medical Staff in the Office

Also, most doctors' offices make use of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants who, while not doctors, are licensed to perform certain medical tests, procedures, and prescribe some types of medications. Both are under the direction of a cardiologist or other physician. However, you may wish to ask about the qualification so these staff members in addition to the doctors whose names are on the wall.

Choosing the right cardiac specialist is important because you are relying on the medical training of this professional to allow you to have a longer, better quality life than if you did nothing. Make sure you have a qualified and experienced cardiologist, or other cardiac specialists, working on your heart. It really is the most important decision you'll probably make concerning your health.