When we think about a patient receiving any type of specialty care, it’s easy to only think about the doctor providing care. However, there are multiple individuals who work together to make the care of patients as seamless as possible. The team at Centra’s Heart and Vascular Institute (HVI) within the Electrophysiology (heart rhythm) department exhibits the Centra value of Teamwork. to ultimately deliver excellent care to our cardiovascular patients.
The care team is comprised of many professionals with various backgrounds. From doctors, nurse practitioners and scribes to physician assistants, nurses and paramedics, all parts of the team play an important role in ensuring patients receive excellent care that is timely and efficient.
Oftentimes, one of the first faces a patient will see when they visit Centra’s Heart & Vascular Institute (HVI) is Jesse Parker. Jesse is a paramedic whose responsibilities can include reconciling medications, checking vitals, performing EKGs and inquiring about new or changing symptoms.
Dr. Jose Silva, a cardiologist and electrophysiologist, usually interacts with patients in formal settings including office visits, consultations in the hospital and at the time of their scheduled procedures. Through the help of his team, he is able to monitor patients, particularly at vulnerable times such as during hospitalizations as well as after surgical interventions.
When Dr. Silva visits with patients, a scribe often accompanies him in order to keep accurate records and eliminate unnecessary distractions that could be caused by the medical documentation requirements. Lausyn Johnson, a scribe at HVI, explained that she manages the chart during the visit which allows Dr. Silva to give the patient his full attention which in turn makes the patient feel cared for and heard.
As an advanced practice provider at HVI, Haley Russel, NP sees patients in the inpatient and outpatient settings. In the inpatient setting, she works very closely with the electrophysiology physicians such as Dr Silva. Because they have a strong professional relationship, Haley and Dr. Silva will round on patients in the hospital and work together to use their training and knowledge to diagnose and develop treatment plans for patients with heart rhythm abnormalities.
Oftentimes Haley will see Dr Silva's patients at follow up appointments in the outpatient clinic. Together, they maintain a collaborative approach that speaks to the respect they have for one another’s clinical decision making.
Haley conveyed, “we deeply value teamwork and fostering an environment where each member of the care team feels important, appreciated for their contributions and empowered to perform at the highest level of one's scope of practice.”
Additionally, Amanda Daniel who is an Electrophysiology RN spends a lot of time interacting with and educating patients over the phone and in the clinic. This holistic approach to caring for patients, answering questions regarding their diagnosis and medication changes or making sure that they’re prepared for an upcoming procedure.
When in the clinic, she will also perform EKGs, check patient vitals and check on incision and device placement sites as needed. Amanda also explained that she will also speak to patients if they are having symptoms or concerns. She then triages and relays the information to appropriate provider, and after receiving a response from the provider, she will relay the information to the patient and help to answer any questions they may have.
Amanda went on to say, “I believe our EP team is special in that we all work really well together. We communicate very efficiently and work together to provide the patient with the best care possible. The open line of communication is what I think is most beneficial. I can get an answer from the providers at any point with no issue. They can be on vacation or vice versa and we all go the extra mile to make sure the patients are well taken care of.”
It is evident that each member of the care team plays an important part in ensuring the patient receives excellent care at every stage of their heart rhythm journey and that they’ve committed to going the extra mile–together!