HJAR Jan/Feb 2022

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  JAN / FEB 2022 41 Yazan Ghosheh, MD Cardiologist CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute AS CARDIOLOGISTS, healers and healthcare providers, we all understand that the best outcomes for our patients occur when we can detect problems or early signs of heart disease long before they come to us with pain, or worse, show up at our Emergency Room door. Early detection is the practice we’ve preached for years but also remains one of our biggest and most consistent challenges. Too many of our patients make excuses to avoid seeing their doctor until the pain or discomfort they’re experiencing becomes se- vere. Maybe they only come in for that annual physical, which, by its nature, doesn’t check every indicator of heart health. Or, perhaps they are underinsured and limit healthcare visits because of perceived costs until it be- comes too late. All of these challenges and the consistent value of early detection is why the CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute created a new preventative HeartSmart Screening Program to make it easier and more affordable for our patients to take charge of their heart health and detect signs of heart disease long before they threaten a patient’s life. In order to preserve not just lives but also quality of life for those we serve, the HeartSmart program allows us to identify, manage and treat early signs of heart disease thanks to a full suite of advanced screen- ing and diagnostic technologies. It combines a series of tests to identify cardiovascular health risks into a single visit that patients can schedule at their own convenience to gain greater insight into their true heart health. For some, this may mean peace of mind with positive results, a recommenda- tion of minor lifestyle changes to avoid great- er risks down the road or possibly immediate intervention for those who may be unaware of imminent risks they face. HeartSmart Screening Program in this man- ner is that we can make it cost-effective. Our focus here is early detection, regardless of a patient’s financial status or level of insur- ance coverage. Streamlining the process allows anyone to get insight into their own heart health or even employers to make as- sessments available to their staff as part of their own efforts to support their employees’ well-being. As the leading cause of death in Arkansas, heart disease has for too long had a disproportionate impact on the lives of in- dividuals and their families across our state. Programs like this give us a tool to dispro- portionately address that challenge early on in someone’s life. The sooner we can detect signs of heart disease, the sooner we can begin proper treatment that focuses on less invasive practices like medication or lifestyle changes rather than surgery or a trip to the emergency room. We hope this kind of convenient, pre- ventative screening program will give our patients an upper hand in the fight against heart disease and allow them to take con- trol of their heart health in order to live long, healthy lives. n Yazan Ghosheh, MD, is an interventional cardiologist and has been with CHI St.Vincent since 2017. His ex- pertise is in a broad spectrum of cardiovascular dis- ease, including peripheral artery disease. Ghosheh earned amedical degree from the University ofJordan School of Medicine and completed a cardiovascular disease fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Throughout the pandemic, as some pa- tients relied more on telehealth or less fre- quent visits with their cardiologist or pri- mary care provider, we helped them learn how to take their blood pressure and track other important vitals at home. That remains important, but this battery of non-invasive tests goes far beyond that high-level assess- ment of heart health. In addition to a blood pressure evaluation, we combine a series of heart screening tests that would normally be conducted individually by a doctor like a lipid panel, heart attack risk assessment (ASCVD), electrocardiography (EKG/ECG), ABI peripheral artery disease assessment and a cardiac calcium scoring CT scan. The result is a thorough, personalized report following a single visit that can be completed in well under an hour. We’ve carefully selected the preventative screenings that are part of this program in order to give patients the greatest level of insight into their heart health in the least invasive manner possible. In some ways, a HeartSmart screening will feel little different from an annual physical, but the information we learn will be exponentially more valuable. Our patients also walk away with their per- sonalized assessment to continue the con- versation with their primary care physician and the confidence to take charge of their own heart health going forward. The other benefit of structuring the “Our focus here is early detection, regardless of a patient’s financial status or level of insurance coverage.”