PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Cedar Rapids, IA Permit No. 91
202 10th St. SE, Suite 225 Cedar Rapids, IA 52403
Formerly Cardiologists,L.C. Now located at 202 10th St. SE, Suite 225
Heart Strong Are you confused about the changes at UnityPoint Clinic? Exceptional heart care right here in our community is a main goal for the cardiologists at UnityPoint Clinic. Our recent changes – practicing only at St. Luke’s, moving to the PCI Medical Pavilion and changing our name to UnityPoint Clinic – are part of our plan to ensure you receive state-of-the-art heart care close to home.
Living well – your choices matter Taking good care of your heart is important for your wellbeing. Studies show the things that are good for our hearts help improve overall health. Luckily, many factors that improve the condition of our hearts are things we can control. “What we do matters. Smoking, exercise, eating, and treatment of our medical problems all impact not only how long we live, but how well we live,” said Matthew McMahon, DO, UnityPoint Clinic. “It’s so important to take ownership or ‘control’ of our health.”
“What we do matters. Smoking, exercise, eating, and treatment of our medical problems all impact not only how long we live, but how well we live.” Matthew McMahon, DO, UnityPoint Clinic
“Lose weight if you’re heavy, no tobacco if you’re a smoker, realize your cholesterol cannot be too low and exercise daily if you’re sedentary,” McMahon said, adding that treatment and control of illnesses that aggravate heart disease, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, is very important too.
We have updated our facility, added providers and continue expanding the procedures and specialties we offer. St. Luke’s, likewise, continues building on heart care services. On the other hand, Mercy Medical Center has recently chosen to partner with the University of Iowa, resulting in patients being treated outside of our community for procedures we’re able to provide right here. It was a difficult decision for UnityPoint Clinic to stop practicing at Mercy Medical Center, but it makes sense for us to be the partner of choice at St. Luke’s, which has been named a Top 50 Heart Hospital four times in the last 10 years. If you’ve received a letter from Mercy Medical Center along with a form to
UnityPoint Clinic Cardiology: 319/364-7101 If you still have questions about the changes at UnityPoint Clinic, schedule an appointment with your doctor for a one-onone conversation.
transfer your medical records to Cedar Rapids Heart Center (like the form shown below), we want you to know what this means. Signing this form transfers your care to Cedar Rapids Heart and you will no longer be a patient of the cardiologists Dr. Todd Langager, UnityPoint Clinic. at UnityPoint Clinic. If you prefer to have Routine follow-up visits continue to hospital care at Mercy or are unable to use be scheduled in advance. St. Luke’s, you may still remain a patient of UnityPoint Clinic. We will make your medi- • Greater choice locally. UnityPoint cal information available to providers at Clinic – with 18 board-certified cardiMercy when you are hospitalized and then ologists – is the largest, most specialwe’ll resume your ongoing heart care after ized cardiology group in eastern Iowa, your discharge from the hospital. which means you receive complete heart and vascular care in one location. Heart care at UnityPoint Clinic provides: We have the critical size necessary for our doctor’s to develop the skills for • Same-day appointments. UnityPoint advanced, specialized heart and vasClinic offers same-day appointments cular care so you don’t have to travel for patients who need to be seen outside of Cedar Rapids for treatment. quickly. All you need is a doctor’s referral. “If you feel you have an issue • Quality care. The truth is, experience that needs to be seen right now, call matters when it comes to technical and speak to your doctor’s nurse to and specialized medical skills, procedetermine if you need to go to the dures and surgeries. According to the emergency room or if it’s something a American Heart Association, doctors cardiologist needs to see that day,” said who perform more procedures generally have better outcomes. The same Did you receive this is true for the entire team performing form in the mail? procedures. St. Luke’s has substantially higher volumes of heart and The purpose of this form from CR vascular procedures, which medical Heart and Mercy Medical Center is to help you change cardiologists. studies have shown are associated By signing it and sending it in with improved patient outcomes. you will no longer be a patient at UnityPoint Clinic Cardiology.
• Ongoing relationship. relationship The relationship you’ve built with your doctor makes a difference. Your cardiologist knows the challenges you’ve faced and how you’ve handled your health issues. Changing doctors means building a new relationship and a new history. Also, keep in mind that most cardiac care is provided in the office, not the hospital. 202 10th St. SE, Suite 225, Cedar
Rapids, IA 52403 319/364-
Cardiology Newsletter - July 13.indd 1
7/8/2013 9:45:56 AM
?
Frequently Asked Questions
Concerning UnityPoint Clinic and transferring cardiology care Do I have to transfer to CR Heart if my primary care doctor is a Mercy Care doctor and I go to Mercy Medical Center for hospital care?
I can’t get an appointment at CR Heart for several months. How long will I have to wait for an appointment at UnityPoint Clinic?
No. If you prefer to have hospital care at Mercy or are unable to use St. Luke’s, you can remain a patient of UnityPoint Clinic. We will make your medical information available to providers at Mercy when you are hospitalized and then we’ll resume your ongoing heart care after you go home from the hospital. Your cardiologist at UnityPoint Clinic values your relationship and wants to continue providing your heart care.
If you have an acute need, your doctor can refer you to UnityPoint Clinic for an appointment within 24 hours. Routine follow-up visits can vary. Please call our office so we can check schedules.
Can I come back to UnityPoint Clinic after I transfer to CR Heart? I signed the form but didn’t realize I was switching doctors. It’s easy to switch back. Call UnityPoint Clinic at 319/364-7101 and ask to transfer your records back to UnityPoint Clinic.
Is St. Luke’s really different from Mercy when it comes to heart care?
St. Luke’s performs a significantly higher volume of heart procedures than the amount performed at Mercy. Medical studies show that patient outcomes are significantly improved when performed at centers with higher volumes and greater experience. St. Luke’s also offers more comprehensive cardiac care, offering the following procedures that aren’t available at Mercy:
What are the main differences between CR Heart and UnityPoint Clinic?
• Open heart surgery
• EECP (Enhanced External Counter Pulsation) to create a natural bypass around narrowed or blocked arteries
CR Heart has only three board-certified cardiologists. UnityPoint Clinic has 18 board-certified cardiologists and a streamlined scheduling process. UnityPoint Clinic cardiologists see patients at 11 outreach clinic locations and offer a comprehensive range of diagnostic, treatment and therapy services for all stages of heart disease.
• Lead extractions for pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator
• Structural heart procedures, including closure of atrial septal defects and patent foramen ovale
Update for Sierra supplemental insurance holders UnityPoint Clinic and St. Luke’s were unable to negotiate a change to allow Sierra insurance holders coverage at St. Luke’s Hospital. If you have Sierra supplemental insurance but want to use St. Luke’s and UnityPoint Clinic, please call St. Luke’s Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) counselors for help researching your options. SHIIP counselors are trained by the State of Iowa and do not sell or promote any insurance companies, policies or agents. They help you sort through your Medicare options and help you enroll in the plan that best meets your needs. Humana, AARP and Coventry supplemental insurance all cover hospital care at St. Luke’s. Call St. Luke’s SHIIP office at 319/369-7475.
Regional SHIIP offices
Speak to a SHIIP counselor close to home. Benton County Keystone Nursing Center 319/442-3234 Buchanan County Buchanan County Senior Center, Independence 319/334-7011 Cedar County Tipton Senior Center Delaware County City of Edgewood Iowa County Marengo Memorial Hospital
563/886-3293
563/928-6842
319/642-8063
Johnson County Elder Services, Inc. 319/338-0515 Iowa City Senior Center 319/356-5220 Mercy Hospital Iowa City 319/339-3531 Jones County RSVP of Jones County, Anamosa
319/560-0811
Linn County Heritage Agency on Aging 319/398-5559 St. Luke’s Hospital 319/369-7475 Witwer Senior Center 319/398-3636 Washington County Washington County Hospitals &Clinics
Efficient scheduling with UnityPoint Clinic
You may notice a change in our appointment process. We’re spending more time with you before the doctor arrives to get the most complete health information we can. Your nurse will ask you questions about your latest health developments, ensuring up-to-date information is ready for your doctor. Expect to spend about 30 minutes with your nurse before the doctor arrives. We’ve made this change because we want to know more about your overall health. We want to provide more coordinated, comprehensive healthcare. To schedule an appointment call 319/364-7101.
New location: PCI Medical Pavilion On April 22, we moved our offices to the PCI Medical Pavilion at 202 10th St. SE. We’re located on the east side of the second floor.
Directions and parking
To find our offices from Interstate 380, take exit 20 to 7th St. NE, turn left onto Third Ave. and enter the east parking lot between 10th and 12th Streets or turn left onto 10th St. and left onto Second Ave. to enter the parking ramp. The east parking lot between Third Ave. and 12th St. is the easiest location to park. Enter the pavilion through the east entrance facing 12th St. Once inside, take the elevator to the second floor and our office is on the left-hand side. The PCI Medical Pavilion parking ramp is located on Second Ave. and 10th St. The ramp can be accessed from Second Ave. Use the skywalk (level three of the ramp) to access the pavilion. Once inside the pavilion, you will be on the second floor. We are located on the right side of the hall. Complimentary valet parking is available at the east entrance and can be accessed from 12th St. or Third Ave. Valet hours begin at 7:30 a.m. every weekday. Valet service ends at 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday; 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.
UnityPoint Clinic Cardiology welcomes two new cardiologists
Wassef Karrowni, MD, joins UnityPoint Clinic Cardiology on August 1, 2013. Dr. Karrowni completed his medical degree at American University of Beirut in Beirut, Lebanon. He completed his internal medicine residency, cardiovascular diseases fellowship, and interventional cardiology fellowship at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa. Dr. Karrowni is board certified in Internal Medicine and the following subspecialties: Cardiovascular Diseases, Adult Echocardiography, and Nuclear Cardiology.
Laila Payvandi, MD, joins UnityPoint Clinic Cardiology on September 30, 2013. Dr. Payvandi has worked as a hospitalist with St. Luke’s Hospital. She is originally from Cedar Rapids and completed both medical school and her cardiology fellowship training at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa. She completed her internal medicine residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. She is board certified in internal medicine with a subspecialty in cardiovascular diseases. Her clinical interests include echocardiography, valvular heart disease and women’s heart health. To schedule an appointment please call 800/982-1959 or 319/364-7101.
319/863-2185
cardiologistslc.com Cardiology Newsletter - July 13.indd 2
7/8/2013 9:46:59 AM