At some time in your life, your primary care physician may refer you to the care of a cardiologist. This may be for diagnostic testing to determine the nature and extent of cardiovascular disease, for treatment of a specific condition (e.g., high blood pressure, arrhrythmia, angina, etc.), or for preventive measures to minimize the risk factors for heart disease in the future.

In addition to dealing with a variety of diseases and conditions that affect the heart and associated blood vessels, the cardiologist is first a good general physician, familiar with all of the body’s internal systems, the diseases which affect them, and the current methods for treating them. This experience is gained during residency in Internal Medicine before going on to more specialized training in cardiovascular health.

Thanks to recent medical and technological advances, cardiologists today have a wide range of diagnostic testing capabilities that enable them to detect, diagnose and treat heart disease at an early stage that may prevent a heart attack or other serious cardiac event from occurring. Because a preventive plan of action or a treatment program may be undertaken over a period of time, the cardiologist is an important partner in protecting and preserving your health and should be chosen carefully.

Depending upon your health care plan, you are likely to be given a list of “participating” cardiologists in your area. Some plans may limit you to only certain doctors; others may include some “preferred” doctors who are part of the network (and you pay less if you use them). Once you have this physician directory, here are several things you can do to choose the best cardiologist for you:

• Ask doctors you know, the local medical society, area hospitals, friends, family and business associates which cardiologist they would recommend, and why.
• Ask your health care plan for information about the doctors’ credentials.
• Look up the doctor on the Internet. Some physicians maintain web pages that contain information about their training, their practice, and the services they provide.
• Look up the doctors in the Directory of Medical Specialists available at the local library, or use the Internet (e.g., AMA Physician Select, the American Medical Association’s free service that provides information on physicians: http://www.ama-assn.org)
• Determine if the doctor is board certified, which means he or she has completed several years of training in the specialty and has passed an exam. Call the American Board of Medical Specialties (800-776-2378) for additional information.
• Call the State Medical Licensing Board to determine if any complaints have been registered, or if disciplinary action has been taken against the physician.
• Call your prospective cardiologist to set up a “get acquainted” appointment. (Be sure to ask in advance if there is any charge for this meeting.) Ask for literature about the physician(s) and about the practice itself.
• What are the office hours? Are there weekend appointments available?
• With which hospitals does the doctor have privileges?
• If the doctor is unavailable, who “takes the call” or provides patient care in his or her absence?
• Is the office well-staffed, clean and well-organized?
• Does the office have a policy about delays in scheduled appointments?
• Does the practice offer cardiovascular education programs? Rehabilitation programs? Risk management programs (e.g., smoking cessation, stress management)?
• Does the office offer help with insurance and other financial matters (e.g. filing insurance forms, patient advocacy, etc.), especially if hospitalization is necessary?

Evaluate the doctor’s communication style and candor in responding to your questions. This may well be one of the most important factors you will consider in making your decision, along with experience, training, and your perception of the quality of care he or she delivers.