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Welcome to the third article in the MD Spotlight series, in which the specialty of cardiology is highlighted and related key
resources are featured. You will gain greater insight into the field of cardiology and the role of the cardiologist that may
help you identify new ways to relate and communicate at a more sophisticated level with this customer type. Expanding your
knowledge and understanding of your customers will help you build stronger business relationships. Use this article to aid
you during business planning, call strategy and physician interaction.
Let's take a closer look at the practice of cardiology and the study of cardiovascular disease.
Physician profile
A cardiologist is a physician (either an MD or a DO) who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of defects and diseases
of the cardiovascular system. This includes the heart and blood vessels, as well as the circulation of blood throughout the
body. For this reason, cardiologists are highly skilled in controlling blood pressure, reducing cholesterol levels, and reducing
the overall risk for heart attacks and strokes. The career cardiologist is also responsible for assisting other heart specialists
in treating patients and may participate in inserting catheters, finding coronary blockages and monitoring diagnostic cardiology
procedures. The cardiology community is divided between invasive and non-invasive specialists. Invasive cardiologists are generally hospital-based
and routinely perform angiography (catheters in arteries) and angioplasty (balloon procedures). Non-invasive cardiologists
are office-based and perform less of the surgical-type interventions. Many conditions treated by cardiologists may be life-threatening
and affect a large majority of the population. Disorders treated include congenital heart defects, arrhythmias, valvular problems,
hypertension, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, pericardial disease, heart failure, peripheral arterial disease, vasculitis,
stroke and coronary heart disease.
Practice characteristics/defining features
Cardiologists may have a short- or long-term relationship with patients depending on the particular situation. If a cardiovascular
problem is found, the cardiologist may assume care of the patient or may refer the patient back to the PCP with specific instructions
for treatment. In many cases, patients are followed by a primary-care provider and a cardiologist. Also, although cardiology
is a referral specialty, many patients with heart disease who require ongoing care consider their cardiologist to be their
primary care physician. Cardiologists generally serve as a consultant to other physicians who refer patients for evaluation.
In addition to serving primarily as consultants, cardiologists frequently provide hands-on assistance to other physicians,
such as surgeons, to evaluate patients before surgery.
Cardiology is a demanding and challenging specialty that requires intense dedication and discipline. Cardiologists usually
work many hours both in the office seeing patients and in the hospital responding to nighttime calls. During the course of
a given week, cardiologists see an average 50 patients. Cardiologists choose to go into either a group or individual practice.
Many practice in medical-center environments upon certification to continue research and build their referral network. Cardiologists
may see more than a 27 percent growth in their field by 2014, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This growth
is attributed to a number of factors, including increased efficiency in cardiovascular procedures, improving technology, a
growing senior population and retiring cardiologists.
Cardiologists investigate patients with suspected heart disease by taking a very careful, extensive history of a patient's
condition and by performing a complete physical examination. In addition to having superior surgical skills, cardiologists
must be comfortable communicating and consulting with patients.
Some of the distinct and defining characteristics of cardiologists include the ability and desire to:
- Make sound clinical judgments
- Think quickly, and be action-oriented
- Routinely handle emergencies
- Be thorough and detail-oriented
- Accept an unpredictable, fast-paced schedule
- Apply manual dexterity for procedures
- Have strong communication and listening skills.
