cardiologist vs. EP

I have not posted here for quite some time. But after a brief hospital stay last month for symptoms associated with some sort of cardiac event which turned out to be nothing. I had a follow up with my cardiologist 3 weeks later. While I was there he had a tech come in to check out my pm.
So my question is... If your pm is working like it should and your cardiologist is able to have a tech come in to interrogate it why does a person need to see the EP as long as nothing is wrong. I see my cardiologist again on Feb. 12th because he is concentrating on getting my BP under control but I have an appt. in March to see my EP. Do I need to see him if everything is in good working order. Should I keep my appt. with him?
Any advise would be appreciated.
Thanks, Mona

6 Comments

A Tech is NOT an EP

by mrag - 2010-01-20 11:01:05

They charge different amounts! I have my PT-INR tested between every 2 and 4 weeks to make sure my coumadin level is proper. The ONLY person I see is the nurse who pricks my finger for a drop of blood and then says what amounts of coumadin I should take until the next visit. When I see my insurance bill, it seems the coumadin level is later "reviewed" by a cardiologist who charges three times as much as the nurse. So much for proper medical care in the US.

Note this is standard for X-rays. Two days AFTER your X-ray, a full fledged radiologist will review your x-ray, say exactly what the tech said, charge you three times more and close your file. Of course, they are also the ones with the full malpractice insurance policy. Make sense?

cardio/EP

by sam78 - 2010-01-21 01:01:06

I guess at first I was confused but after reading posts I understand it a bit more. Up where I live we do not have them seperated. When I started seeing the EP he took over all the care of my heart, and yes I have other issues as well. So I dont have both a EP doc as well as a cardiologist. He handles my blood pressure issues and valve issues at the same time as managine my pacer stuff. THey have techs that do the interrogation but then the doctor comes in interrupts and tells him what to change. IF I ever came in for just a check, a nurse did the interrogating and then asked the doctor before I left.

also

by sam78 - 2010-01-21 01:01:49

Like Frank said, if you have a rep from the pacemaker company there, they for familer with the device and can interrupt results very will.

Add another one to the list

by ElectricFrank - 2010-01-21 11:01:37

Make it Doctors, nurses, technicians, Mfr Reps, or Pacemaker Club experts!!!

I always insisted that there are those who know what they are doing and then the rest that have a license or certification to cover up. True is almost every field.

frank

cardio v ep

by justme - 2010-01-21 12:01:16

In my case I see them for different purposes, and they're at the same practice so I've actually seen them both at the same time on the same day while only having one appointment and they discuss my care together. I would talk to the cardio and EP to see what they say before cancelling. But that's just me.

Big difference

by ElectricFrank - 2010-01-21 12:01:59

A cardiologist is a plumber. He deals with the pumping action of the heart and does surgery like implanting the pacemaker and leads.

The EP is an electrician. He understands the electrical activity of the heart and the operation of the pacemaker.

While each understands the others field to some extent they are best in their own field.

There is also the pacemaker manufacturer's rep who may do the interrogation and programming. While he/she isn't a doctor they often understand a particular pacemaker better than even the EP. I've found them to be willing to take more time because they want to make a good impression for their company.

In some clinics you may even just see a nurse who goes through the automated procedure built into the programmer.

hope I made sense,

frank

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