Holy Cross Health in Fort Lauderdale recently unveiled the opening of the MD ASAP Rapid Response Cardiac Clinic. The clinic aims to address the gap in cardiac care by providing a timely solution to patients with non-emergency intermittent heart problems and cardiovascular concerns. This alternative option aims to reduce the Emergency Department (ED) burden. The clinic’s opening is especially timely as it coincides with Heart Month in February, emphasizing the importance of heart health.
Located on the ground floor of Holy Cross Health in Fort Lauderdale, patients can receive prompt medical attention, typically within 24 hours, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A physician with extensive cardiovascular expertise can provide specialized care to patients. This service serves as an alternative to visiting the ED or urgent care for those with potentially serious cardiac issues that could worsen over time.
At the MD ASAP Rapid Response Cardiac Clinic, individuals can undergo screening, evaluation and subsequent referral for additional testing as required, which may involve an echocardiogram, stress test, CT calcium scoring, among others. The determination of which tests are necessary is made on a case-by-case basis.
“MD ASAP Rapid Response Cardiac Clinic is not designed to become a patient’s primary source of cardiac care,” says Charles Russo, M.D., FACC, who supervises the Clinic. “There are patients who feel that there might be something wrong, but don’t feel it’s urgent enough to go to the ED or who maybe don’t have a cardiologist. The Clinic fills that void. While we provide screening and follow-up and may see a patient once or twice, we do not replace their cardiologist or their ongoing need for one or their need for other physicians. If they don’t have a physician or cardiologist, our Holy Cross Medical Group can help them.”
Physicians in private practice who encounter patients with new onset cardiac symptoms or abnormal testing, emergency medicine providers who anticipate patients requiring prompt evaluation after ED discharge, and urgent care providers who identify patients needing further cardiac evaluation all refer patients to the MD ASAP Rapid Response Cardiac Clinic.
Darla Erlich, DNP and Allison Hamlett, NP (pictured) support Dr. Russo at the Clinic. The clinic also has the services of two cardiac specialists, Joshua Larned, M.D., and Elias Collado, M.D., who are available for consultation. Besides the MD ASAP Rapid Response Cardiac Clinic, MD ASAP offers primary and specialty care services to patients across multiple Holy Cross locations.
