UNIVERSITY CARDIOLOGY

An internist who specializes in diseases of the heart and blood vessels and manages complex cardiac conditions such as heart attacks and life-threatening, abnormal heartbeat rhythms.

A physician assistant is a person who has successfully completed an accredited education program for physician assistant, is licensed by the state and is practicing within the scope of that license. Physician assistants are formally trained to perform many of the routine, time-consuming tasks a physician can do. In some states, they may prescribe medications. They take medical histories, perform physical exams, order lab tests and x-rays, and give inoculations. Most states require that they work under the supervision of a physician.

A registered nurse who, through a graduate degree program in nursing, or through a formal post-basic education program or continuing education courses and clinical experience, is expert in a specialty area of nursing practice within one or more of the components of direct patient/client care, consultation, education, research and administration.

An area of medicine within the subspecialty of cardiology, which uses specialized imaging and other diagnostic techniques to evaluate blood flow and pressure in the coronary arteries and chambers of the heart and uses technical procedures and medications to treat abnormalities that impair the function of the cardiovascular system.

(1) A registered nurse provider with a graduate degree in nursing prepared for advanced practice involving independent and interdependent decision making and direct accountability for clinical judgment across the health care continuum or in a certified specialty. (2) A registered nurse who has completed additional training beyond basic nursing education and who provides primary health care services in accordance with state nurse practice laws or statutes. Tasks performed by nurse practitioners vary with practice requirements mandated by geographic, political, economic, and social factors. Nurse practitioner specialists include, but are not limited to, family nurse practitioners, gerontological nurse practitioners, pediatric nurse practitioners, obstetric-gynecologic nurse practitioners, and school nurse practitioners.

A field of special interest within the subspecialty of cardiovascular disease, specialty of Internal Medicine, which involves intricate technical procedures to evaluate heart rhythms and determine appropriate treatment for them.

Specialists in Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology would participate in the inpatient and outpatient management of patients with advanced heart failure across the spectrum from consideration for high-risk cardiac surgery, cardiac transplantation, or mechanical circulatory support, to pre-and post-operative evaluation and management of patients with cardiac transplants and mechanical support devices, and end-of-life care for patients with end-stage heart failure.

A pediatric cardiologist provides comprehensive care to patients with cardiovascular problems. This specialist is skilled in selecting, performing and evaluating the structural and functional assessment of the heart and blood vessels, and the clinical evaluation of cardiovascular disease.

Source: NUCC, CMS