When it comes to your healthcare, there are an infinite number of specialties and specialists in the game. But very few branches of medicine are as important as cardiology. With heart disease being the number one killer of both men and women worldwide, and one out of every four deaths being attributed to heart issues like high blood pressure, getting your heart checked should be one of the most important things on your to-do list. And while cardiology is one of the most important branches of medicine, it can often be difficult to find a quality cardiologist that fits your needs. That’s where the internet and modern tools like DocChecker can come in very handy. Unlike your general practitioner, cardiology is a highly individualized process – this means that while someone might be a great cardiologist, they might not be the best one for you. One of the top cardiologist NYC has in practice, Dr. Omid Kohani educates his patients on the importance of proper heart health as well as having an open line of communication with their doctor. Credentials are great, but if you and your cardiologist don’t speak the same language (figuratively and literally) nothing really matters. With heart health, lifestyle habits are just as important as medication and treatment, therefore it is important that you feel comfortable discussing aspects of your life with your cardiologist, amongst other things. Here are 6 important tips from Dr. Omid Kohani on how to choose the right cardiologist.
The Referral System While this might be the easiest and likely the most common means of finding a specialist, getting a referral from your current doctor does come with some important caveats. In general, about half of Dr. Kohani patients come from referrals while the rest find him using different services like DocChecker. For instance, in the event your GP recommends you get a stress test, they are likely referring you to a doctor for one of a few reasons. The first being that there is some incentive for them – whether doctors are in the same healthcare network or have side deals going on for ‘kickbacks’ of some kind – there is usually a reason aside from your health that they would recommend you to this cardiologist. Another reason is usually that the two doctors are friends or close acquaintances of some kind. Even as one of the top cardiologist NYC has in practice, it is very rare for Dr. Kohani to get a referral from a doctor he doesn’t have an existing relationship with. While it may not always be a bad thing, it goes to show you that the referral system rarely puts your healthcare first.
Consider Credentials & Experience This is an important aspect to consider as some doctors are just more well trained or have more experience than others. This is also highly dependent upon your desired care. For those in need of something like a stress test or a simple heart health checkup, a new young doctor may serve their needs just fine and in some scenarios they might be better. But for instance, in the event you have suffered from various heart health issues like hypertension or high blood pressure – experience is likely on the top of your list, and a doctor like Dr. Omid Kohani, considered to be the top cardiologist NYC has to offer, might better suit your needs. A service like DocChecker allows you to see your cardiologist qualification, credentials, board-certifications, awards, and more – at a quick glance. In addition, be sure to check out certain things like suspensions, disciplinary actions by the state health board or malpractice claims.
The Facility or Office Depending on what type of patient you are, you might feel more comfortable in a certain type of setting. For instance, some older cardiology patients might prefer the small, private office setting of Dr. Kohani as opposed to the hustle and bustle of a large state hospital or giant medical center. However, for some, with more severe issues the large hospital may offer all the equipment and higher-end technology they would need to perform certain tests like angiograms or procedures like cardiac catheterization.
Gender This may not be an issue for all patients, however, some women might be shy discussing certain personal aspects with a man, and vice versa. In addition, cardiology care can differ slightly when treating men versus women – for instance, there are certain practice that identify themselves as specialized women’s heart center, or vice versa.
Communication Style As we previously stated, having the top cardiologist NYC has to offer doesn’t really matter if you and your cardiologist aren’t on the same page in terms of communication. This rings true for most aspects of medicine as well. Choose a cardiologist that you are comfortable taking to, and someone like Dr. Kohani who takes time to educate his patients on their healthcare and treatments. It’s always good to know the what, but it can often help to know the why as well. For this you might have to take a few consultations or ask around, but it is definitely well worth it. And for those patients who may not feel 100% comfortable speaking English, there are cardiologists out there who speak almost every language, and a service like DocChecker lists the languages spoken at each practice.
Insurance This can be the most important aspect of care for some, since no one likes to pay out of pocket unless they have to. To save the most money and make the most of the health insurance you pay for, assuming you do, choose a cardiologist who accepts your insurance coverage. A service like DocChecker does indicate the accepted insurances for some physicians however, for a more thorough list contact your provider.
Making use of services like DocChecker and the advice above can help you get the most out of your cardiology care and find the best cardiologist for you and your needs.