In order to facilitate your upcoming appointment, please review the following instructions provided below:
Items to Bring to EVERY Appointment
- For Registration:
- Current insurance cards and driver’s license or government issued ID. You will be asked for these documents at every visit.
- The insurance referral for your upcoming appointment, if applicable.
- The order for any cardiac diagnostic testing or consult your referring provider has requested.
- Credit card, checkbook, or cash for co-payments, deductibles, or outstanding balances owed at the time of service.
- For Your Appointment:
- Current medication list or medication bottles. List should include the dosage and frequency at which you take your medications. Include all vitamins, supplements and over the counter medications on your list. Please note any medication allergies you may have as well.
- Copies of any recent blood work or medical records pertaining to your upcoming visit.
- List of questions you may have for your provider.
General Appointment Information
- Check-In Time:
- It is very important that you arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your appointment to allow time for check in, which includes updating your demographics, insurance and health information.
- If you are a new patient or have not been seen in over 3 years and have NOT completed your new patient and registration forms please arrive 30 minutes prior to your appointment.
- Please allow enough time to park.
- Late Arrival Policy:
- If you arrive late to your appointment, you may be asked to wait or reschedule.
- Cancellation Fee:
- Failure to cancel any appointment within 24 business hours (1 full business day Mon-Fri) of your appointment time may result in a charge added to your account.
- Test Results:
- Routine test results will be communicated to you via the patient portal or by telephone in 7-10 business days.
What to Expect at your Office Visit
- Check-In: Prior to any visit you must check in with our front desk.
- Our Patient Services Specialist will verify all of your demographic information is correct, update your insurance and referring provider information and collect your co-pay if indicated.
- Intake: When ready one of our clinicians will come get you from the waiting room.
- At every office visit the clinician will measure your height and weight, obtain a set of vital signs (blood pressure and heart rate), and an EKG if indicated.
- If an EKG is indicated, men will be asked to remove their shirt and women will be asked to change into a gown from the waist up. It is important that you avoid putting lotion, oil or powder on your skin the day of the appointment to ensure our EKG leads adhere to your skin properly.
- The clinician will then verify that your health, surgical, and family history is up to date as well as confirm your medication list is accurate.
- Assessment: The doctor or advanced practice provider will then come in to discuss any symptoms or concerns you may have and/or review any recent test results. They will perform an assessment and come up with a plan of care for you.
- Check-out: Once the doctor is finished with your appointment, ensure you stop at the check-out desk. Any follow up testing or appointments you may need will be arranged at that time.
What to Expect at your Diagnostic Testing or Nurse Visit
- Check-In: Prior to any visit you must check in with our front desk. Our Patient Services Specialist will verify all of your demographic information is correct, update your insurance and referring provider information and collect your
co-pay if indicated.
- If a referring provider has ordered your test ensure you have your written order with you. We will not be able to perform any testing without a valid order on file.
- Intake: When ready one of our clinicians will come get you from the waiting room.
- Ambulatory Monitors: if you are having an ambulatory monitor placed (holter monitor, mobile cardiac telemetry, or ambulatory blood pressure monitor) it is important that you avoid putting lotion, oil or powder on your skin the day of the appointment to ensure our EKG leads or blood pressure cuff adhere to your skin properly.
- Site Check: for your site check visit ensure you bring your discharge paperwork from the hospital as well as a current medication list with you to your appointment.
- Blood Pressure Check: Bring your current medication list with you to your appointment as well as your home blood pressure log and/or home blood pressure machine.
- EKG: Bring your current medication list with you to your appointment. Men will be asked to remove their shirt and women will be asked to change into a gown from the waist up. It is important that you avoid putting lotion, oil or powder on your skin the day of the appointment to ensure our EKG leads adhere to your skin properly.
- Patient Education Visit: Bring your device and/or medication you are being trained on with you at the time of your appointment. Ensure if someone is going to be helping you with your device/medication administration that they accompany you to your visit.
Introduction to your Care Team:
- Patient Service Specialist:
- Our Patient Service Specialist are located at all check-in and checkout counters.
- They are able to assist with making or rescheduling appointments, obtaining copies of your medical records and helping to connect you to the appropriate person for any billing related questions.
- Clinical Team Members:
- Our clinical team is made up of cardiac techs and registered nurses.
- Our cardiac techs come from a diverse background of EMT’s, kinesiology majors, as well as exercise physiologists. Our cardiac techs help to bring patients to their rooms, apply ambulatory monitors, administer stress tests and act as a liaison between the patient and the providers.
- Our registered nurses help to room patients for our providers, apply ambulatory monitors, administer stress tests, perform Coumadin management under the guidance of the providers, provide patient education on home INR monitors or injectable medications, act as a liaison between the patient and the providers and answer live calls on the triage line.
- Providers:
- Advanced Practice Providers: Consist of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants who are licensed to perform physical exams, obtain medical histories, diagnose and treat illnesses, counsel on preventive health care and prescribe medications. Our APPs work closely with our Doctor’s to provide you with expert care as part of your care team.
- Physicians: Our cardiologists, electrophysiologists, and sleep specialists are involved in your care every step of the way and are available to you and your entire care team when needed.
How to Communicate with your Care Team
- Patient Portal: Sign up for our patient portal to view test results, exchange secure messages with your care team, view your current medication list and see upcoming appointment information.
- Telephone: Our telephone lines are open from 8:30am-12pm and 1pm-4pm Monday through Friday.
Bob's Story - Bundle Branch Block
Because of careful monitoring of his left bundle branch block by Dr. Robert Shor, Bob Weber has been able to continue his passion for cycling. Bob averages 4,000 miles a year and demonstrates how patients with chronic heart conditions can continue to lead active lives. “I have been with Virginia Heart for many years and they take great care of me. It's all routine, but very reassuring to have a cardiologist and staff that put a premium on long-term monitoring,” Bob says.
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Bob's Story - Bundle Branch Block
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Anyone looking at Bob Weber would say he is the picture of health. The federal retiree is slim, muscular and clearly fit as a fiddle.
But Bob and Dr. Robert A. Shor of Virginia Heart know there is more to the story.
Bob has a bundle branch block in his heart’s left ventricle. This is a delay in the electrical impulses and could be a sign of serious heart disease such that the heart may not be able to pump blood efficiently through the body. But because Dr. Shor is regularly monitoring Bob’s heart health, Bob has not had any serious complications as a result of the condition.
It also helps that Bob is doing everything he can to support his heart health. Since moving to Virginia in 1975, he has been an avid bike rider, traversing the W&OD Trail in Sterling for more than 40 years. In the last nine years alone, he has biked in excess of 37,000 miles, averaging 4,000 miles a year.
“Cycling truly is a heart healthy exercise,” Bob says. “It's far more popular now than 40 years ago, probably due to major advances in gear shifting technology and carbon fiber frames designed specifically for men and women.” He says it is not uncommon to see people well into their 70s riding performance bikes in southwest Florida, where he and his wife reside part time.
Bob is grateful to Dr. Shor and the Virginia Heart team for their careful management of his condition, which has enabled him to continue his passion for cycling. “I have been with Virginia Heart for many years and they take great care of me. It's all routine, but very reassuring to have a cardiologist and staff that put a premium on long-term monitoring,” he says.
Bob encourages everyone to work with their doctors so they can continue to exercise. But never one to leave things to chance, he also advises anyone with a similar electrical condition to have a laminated copy of their EKG in their wallet. “That way in case of an accident, EMS would know your normal condition,” he says. He also has information on his cycling ID bracelet regarding his heart condition, along with his blood type and spouse's contact information.
“Bob has been very proactive in taking control of his health. He is a perfect example of how collaboration between patient and provider can allow patients with cardiac conditions to keep doing the things they love.” Dr. Shor says.
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