Refer a patient to HVI

Heart & Vascular Institute referral criteria

Appropriate referrals for individual programs, tests and treatments are listed below. These include criteria for fetal, pediatric and adult cardiovascular services.

Refer a patient for the following programs, tests and treatments by calling 434.200.5252

General Cardiology

Our team welcomes referrals for adults who have:

• An abnormal echo or stress test
• An abnormal electrocardiogram
• Chronic atrial fibrillation
• Undiagnosed cardiac symptoms

In most cases, patients must see a general cardiologist before they see a specialist. Exceptions include referrals for pediatric cardiology, fetal echocardiography, adult congenital heart disease and some electrophysiology evaluations.

Adult Congenital Heart Disease

Our specialists accept referrals for adults 19 and older who were born with:

• Atrial and ventricular septal defects
• Coarctation of the aorta
• Connective tissue disorder
• Ebstein anomaly
• Maternal evaluations
• History of cardiac surgery as a child
• Patent ductus arteriosus
• Pulmonary artery stenosis
• Single ventricles
• Tetralogy of Fallot
• Valve defects

Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation

Our program welcomes referrals for patients who have, or are recovering from, the following:

• Asthma
• COPD
• Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery
• Heart failure with ejection fraction <35%
• Heart transplant
• Interstitial lung disease
• Myocardial infarction/heart attack
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Stable angina
• Transluminal coronary angioplasty (stent)
• Valve repair or replacement surgery

Vein & Vascular Center

Our vein specialists welcome referrals for patients who have (or need help with):

• Deep vein thrombosis
• IVC filter placement/retrieval
• Varicose veins
• Venous obstruction/May Thurner syndrome
• Venous ulcers

Cardiothoracic Surgery

We accept referrals for patients who may need the following cardiac or thoracic surgery procedures:

• CABG
• Minimally invasive vein harvest
• Valve repair
• Surgical treatment for arrhythmia

Congestive Heart Failure

Our congestive heart failure team welcomes referrals for patients who have:

• Advanced CHF
• A new CHF diagnosis
• A recent hospitalization for CHF

Please order an echo prior to your patient’s appointment.

Electrophysiology

Our electrophysiology specialists welcome referrals for patients who have (or need):

• Bradyarrhythmias
• Implantable loop recording
• Pacemaker or ICD implantation
• Risk of sudden cardiac arrest
• Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
• Syncope*
• Undiagnosed palpitations*

*A general cardiology consult is recommended prior to EP evaluation.

Fetal Evaluation

We accept fetal echocardiography referrals for women who have or had:

• Abnormal amniocentesis
• Abnormal fetal heart rhythm
• Advanced maternal age
• Diabetes mellitus
• Family history of heart disease
• Fetal heart abnormalities, or abnormalities of other major organs
• Exposure to certain drugs or toxins in early pregnancy
• Maternal obesity

Pediatric Cardiology

Our pediatric cardiology team accepts referrals for patients from birth to 18 years of age who have:

• Arrhythmias
• Chest pain
• Family history of heart disease
• Hyperlipidemia
• Hypertension
• Murmur
• Syncope

Left Atrial Appendage Closure (WATCHMAN procedure)

We welcome referrals for patients with atrial fibrillation who:

• Have an increased risk for stroke based on CHA2DS2-VASc scores
• Are deemed by their physician to be suitable for anticoagulants
• Have an appropriate rationale to seek an alternative to anticoagulation

Structural Heart Disease

We welcome referrals for patients who need treatment for structural heart problems, including:

• Aortic valve disease
• Atrial septal defect
• Mitral valve disease
• Patent foramen ovale

Vascular Surgery

Our vascular and endovascular surgeons accept referrals for patients who need help managing:

• Carotid artery disease
• Critical limb ischemia/arterial ulcers
• Peripheral artery disease/claudication
• Renal vascular disease

Bariatric Surgery & Non-Surgical Weight Loss

We welcome referrals for children and adults who would benefit from our nonsurgical weight loss program. This includes:

• Children at least 2 years of age who have a BMI greater than the 85th percentile and who are at or beyond APP weight management stage 2.
• Any adult who has a BMI > 30, or who has a BMI > 25 with at least one cardiovascular risk factor. Men should have a waist circumference > 40 inches, and women should have a waist circumference > 35 inches. 

We also accept referrals for patients who are eligible for bariatric surgery. This includes patients who: 

• Are between 20 and 70 years old
• Have a BMI > 40, or a BMI  between 35-40 with at least one comorbidity (including Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, severe degenerative joint disease, coronary artery disease or dyslipidemia)

We cannot perform bariatric surgery on patients who meet certain exclusion criteria. This includes people who:

• Are non-ambulatory
• Are dependent on oxygen
• Have severe cardiopulmonary disease
• Have untreated psychiatric disease
• Are dependent on drugs or alcohol

Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine

We welcome referrals for patients who need help managing chronic, non-healing wounds such as:

• Burns
• Diabetic ulcers
• Ischemic wounds
• Pressure ulcers
• Surgical wounds
• Venous ulcers
• Wounds caused by traumatic injuries

We also accept referrals for patients who could benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy. This includes people with:

• Acute peripheral ischemia
• Compromised skin grafts or flaps
• Crush injuries
• Delayed radiation injury (soft tissue and bony necrosis)
• Diabetic foot ulcers (Wagner 3 or higher)
• Gas gangrene
• Necrotizing soft tissue infections
• Osteomyelitis

Why choose Centra to support you and your patients

We welcome referrals to any of our specialty centers, which offer expertise in electrophysiology, congestive heart failure, structural heart disease and more. Our long-time physician partners turn to us because:

• We treat high-risk patients. We offer the latest, minimally invasive treatments for patients who aren’t candidates for surgery. These include percutaneous coronary interventions, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and convergent ablation.
• We offer the most advanced care available, right here in central Virginia. Our breadth of services and depth of expertise means you can feel confident about sending your patients to us for diagnosis, treatment or a second opinion. And patients tell us they appreciate being able to receive specialty care closer to home.
• We’ll keep you well-informed. We know it’s important for you to be kept aware of your patients’ progress, so we provide frequent communication about their tests and treatments. Once a patient’s immediate heart or vascular care needs are met — and they’re ready to transition back to you for regular, ongoing care — we’re happy to jointly manage any future cardiovascular treatments or monitoring as desired.