How to pick a cardiologist or cardiac surgeon

Cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer of both women and men in the United States. Most of us will need to see a cardiologist or cardiac surgeon at some point in our lives. But, how do you find the best doctor who is right for you?

On this episode, three experts representing different subspecialties within cardiovascular health offer advice to patients facing the question: How do I pick a cardiologist or cardiac surgeon?

• Jeffrey Kuvin, MD, is senior vice president of Cardiology for Northwell’s Eastern & Central Regions and chair of the Department of Cardiology at North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center. He is also Co-Director of the Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital at North Shore University Hospital.
• Alan Hartman, MD, is senior vice president and executive director of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Northwell Health; as well as co-director of the Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital at North Shore University Hospital.
• Varinder Singh, MD, is senior vice president of Cardiology for Northwell’s Western Region; and the Guenther Chair for the Department of Cardiology at Lenox Hill Hospital.

Chapters:

• 00:01 - Intro
• 01:09 - Who should see a cardiologist?
• 02:19 - Start with your primary care doctor
• 03:01 - Is the doctor Able? Affable? Available?
• 03:29 - Connecting with your doctor
• 05:38 - Finding the right cardiac surgeon
• 07:18 - Quality ratings
• 09:45 - The importance of trust
• 12:!7 - General vs interventional cardiology
• 14:14 - What is your vascular age?
• 15:44 - Why volume matters
• 17:00 - Does gender play a factor

Further references:

Learn more about quality ratings for cardiac surgery

• • STS report
  • Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery 2021 report
  • NYS Department of Health (DOH) report on adult cardiac surgery
  • NYS DOH report on percutaneous coronary interventions
  • US News & World Report

Learn more about patient satisfaction scores, like Press Ganey.