Aa
cardiologist or electrophysiologist?
Hi, everyone,
I have ectopic atrial tachycardia and had an ablation done several winters ago. It was a moderate success but not a total cure. I am on daily Verapimil which has kept my tachy well controlled. My question is, I am supposed to go to have my (basically healthy) heart checked each year and my prescription renewed. Should I go to the electrophysiologist each year who did my ablation, or should I go to a regular cardiologist?
Yea its frustrating like here its the same in order to see a cardiologist i need to see a gp which then decide whether is there a need to see a cardio,if its necessary then they refer me to the cardiology and will in the long waiting list for an appointment
I think it all depends on your insurance company in the US also.
I know with our insurance we used to have Blue Cross Blue Shield of FL, we had to go to our primary, get a checkup go through the red tape and wait for a referral, then if we needed to be seen further, go to another specialist after another referral.
With United Healthcare, we never needed a referral for anything, but our out of pocket costs were alot higher than with the BCBS because it was a more flexible plan.
pursuetruth if your insurance allows, I would just make your followups with your EP; that way you don't have to get referrals to the EP (which are sometimes like pulling teeth) and since you've had an ablation if anything else comes up you won't have to go from doctor to doctor and can get it taken care of right away
I know with our insurance we used to have Blue Cross Blue Shield of FL, we had to go to our primary, get a checkup go through the red tape and wait for a referral, then if we needed to be seen further, go to another specialist after another referral.
With United Healthcare, we never needed a referral for anything, but our out of pocket costs were alot higher than with the BCBS because it was a more flexible plan.
pursuetruth if your insurance allows, I would just make your followups with your EP; that way you don't have to get referrals to the EP (which are sometimes like pulling teeth) and since you've had an ablation if anything else comes up you won't have to go from doctor to doctor and can get it taken care of right away
I really envy the US health care sometimes, if you can just to to see an EP doctor.
I think we have 5-10 electrophysiologists in Norway or so, and they all have at least a year lists. And, you need to be referred from a cardiologist. Which usually have lists almost as long. Before you see a cardiologist, you should get referred from an internist. And you need to be referred to the internist from your GP.
Of course, there are cardiologists in the private health care, which are the ones I visit (we don't have health insurance here) charge about $400 or so. Luckily that's not a problem for me (I'm a CEO), but electrophysiologists only work in the public health care, and they are close to impossible to see.
Except that, most private hospitals in Norway essentially do plastic surgery, we don't have institutions like Cleveland or Mayo. I really dislike that...
I think we have 5-10 electrophysiologists in Norway or so, and they all have at least a year lists. And, you need to be referred from a cardiologist. Which usually have lists almost as long. Before you see a cardiologist, you should get referred from an internist. And you need to be referred to the internist from your GP.
Of course, there are cardiologists in the private health care, which are the ones I visit (we don't have health insurance here) charge about $400 or so. Luckily that's not a problem for me (I'm a CEO), but electrophysiologists only work in the public health care, and they are close to impossible to see.
Except that, most private hospitals in Norway essentially do plastic surgery, we don't have institutions like Cleveland or Mayo. I really dislike that...
COMMUNITY LEADER
It is my understanding that all doctors have medical degrees, and a cardiologist has extra training and residency requirements, and board certification before they can offer services as a cardiologist. Here's the stretch, I believe an EP is a cardiologist who has additional training, and residence (just like a heart surgeon). So, an EP has the background necessary to practice cardiology ... I don't know exactly how the medical boards operate, but it is likely that most EP doctors are certified both in cardiology and electrophysiology.
In your case it seems there's no reason to change, unless there is a cost difference. During my working years my insurance co-payments were the same for a primary care as for a specialist doctor. So, there was never a "free visit" nor a difference in cost based on the practice of a doctor.
Sorry for the long "conversation", but I was thinking about your question while typing, so you got the whole thought process.
In your case it seems there's no reason to change, unless there is a cost difference. During my working years my insurance co-payments were the same for a primary care as for a specialist doctor. So, there was never a "free visit" nor a difference in cost based on the practice of a doctor.
Sorry for the long "conversation", but I was thinking about your question while typing, so you got the whole thought process.
Thanks, Jerry. The EP seems more than happy to retain me as a yearly patient and I don't have a cardiologist (yet) that I have the same amount of trust in, but I guess I will just keep searching for the right one.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Heart Rhythm Community
Are there grounds to recommend coffee consumption? Recent studies perk interest.
Salt in food can hurt your heart.
Get answers to your top questions about this common — but scary — symptom
How to know when chest pain may be a sign of something else
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
I have also had heart surgery, and when I was released from the hospital I went back to my cardiologist. I did go back to the surgeon for a wrap-up exam about 2 weeks after my surgery.. best I can recall, that was almost 3 years ago.